I do rate the music, when it's something I especially like. I have been ambushed by a couple of songs that I'd never heard anywhere - and heard at FolkAlley. (one that comes to mind is "Louise" by Leo Kottke. It always stops me in my tracks. 5 stars)

As far as competetive - I don't think of it that way. I simply thing of it as showing my appreciation for something that is outstanding to ME.

I give the rating system 5 stars.

Ratings are always subjective. I don't think most artists pay much attention to them, because we're going to write what we're going to write. The point here I think is to allow listener participation, and that is always a good idea.

I usually rate highly the things that I hope will get repeated at some point, or if I see a rating where there is usually one person who rates something I love with a 1 and berates it, I will try to offset that uncalled for (in my opinion) rating a small measure. I believe that some performers who have rougher edges, like Ramblin' Jack for example, have as much right to be heard as some beautiful melody played by flawless musicians. However, I think there are some folks who would want to devoid the airwaves (or networks) of anything that does not meet their subjective standard of quality music.

Folk music gains its greatest strength, to me, from the fact that it is "of the people" and does not belong to the so called "professional class" of musicians alone. There are plenty of other venues where that may be the case, but NOT folk music. I love all of it and I do not want to be dismissive of any musicians, and it strikes me as antithetic to the very core of folk music to impose that kind of mindset on the music played here on Folk Alley.

Rough edges and all, to catch Ramblin' Jack singing "Spanish is a Loving Tongue" live will show you what this music is really about.

Rough edges and all, to catch Ramblin' Jack singing "Spanish is a Loving Tongue" live will show you what this music is really about.

indeed.

Speaking of rough edges, could we sneak Ray Wylie Hubbard onto the playlist? Dunno if y'all consider him "folk" or not, but if he ain't he oughtta be.

I only feel moved to rate a song that catches my attention - in a good way - anyway.

I LOVE Ray Wylie Hubbard... I definitely consider him folk, and agree whole-heartedly that we should play more of his music. I'll get right on that! Thanks for the reminder.

Thanks. Looking forward to that growl.

If you like Ray Wylie's songs, you'll hafta try his chili. Only a true chili afficionado can appreciate what it does to the tasebuds, mmmmmm...not to mention the roof of your mouth. As to the rating system, no one really forces us to rate, or not to rate. Izzint it really about just enjoying the music, really enjoying the music, or, " I can never get enough of that music". In which case, we can buy the artists album. No?

Okay, I'm game. So how do we obtain Mr. Hubbard's chili recipe?

It ain't good chili unless your eyes water, your nose runs and it makes Coors Light drinkable.

There's chili THAT good???

subjectively speaking... carol shelby's chilli may have wylie's beat... 0-60 in 3.2... does a heart good and comes packaged in a convienent, 100% recycleable brown paper bag... tho oddly, it rates only one solitary, " lone star " !

subjectively speaking... carol shelby's chilli may have wylie's beat... 0-60 in 3.2... does a heart good and comes packaged in a convienent, 100% recycleable brown paper bag... tho oddly, it rates only one solitary, " lone star " !