james_nicoll

I see. Though hundred-plus year descent seems a bit of a fragile reed to hang ownership of such an illustrious artform on.

I can't tell whether you're trolling or unaware that this is a matter of serious scholarship. Either way: It's well-studied connection. Many ballads were preserved in the Appalachian oral tradition. Finding this out was a big deal for scholars of folk music.

When I visited Scotland, the folk musicians we talked to really emphasized the Appalachian connection. It was important to them.