Also, many folk musicians do not make their living playing music, telling stories, quilting, or woodworking. But these traditions - art forms - are very alive and well.
EXACTLY! I was trying to think of a way to put this idea into words this very morning! Some people have a problem with "art for the sake of the art." Like my CPA husband--who has a hard time understanding why I would spend time teaching music to children when I don't make all that much money-per-hour. Or why I would perform in a community theatre production. He actually has a problem with me doing community theatre because they don't pay me. They don't pay anybody...we do it because we love it, for the sake of the art. But he just doesn't get it and never will. And lucky for me I don't care what he thinks. It is not all about money. Just because someone makes money doing something doesn't mean they are all that good at it. I have known some really crummy physicians who made lots of money, and some really caring, compassionate,smart ones who cared more for their patients than the business end of things. And the practice of medicine, like music, is an art. Just because the populous is wild for a particular style of music doesn't make it good music, either. Only time will tell what will actually transcend time and become a classic. So the way I see it, some of what is "popular" at this time is probably dead already and just doesn't know it...... Leslie
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