WHEN Odetta, the unofficial queen of American folk music, last released a blues album 38 years ago folk purists wagged their admonishing fingers at her for betraying them.

July 25 - Bob Dylan elicits controversy among folk purists by "going electric" at the Newport Folk Festival.

Mr. Dylan's embrace of the electric guitar horrified folk purists and exploded the possibilities for singer-songwriters.

Another controversy at Guca began with folk purists, who preferred string-band music.

Later that year Dylan adopted electric instruments, much to the outrage of many folk purists, with his "Like a Rolling Stone" becoming a US hit single.

While her pristine soprano seems to hark back to some rural Eden, Ms. Collins is no folk purist.

Often performing songs considered controversial at the time, they drew criticism from some folk purists and Ireland's national broadcaster RTÉ had placed an unofficial ban on their music from 1967-71.

The 1965 festival was marked by the fact that he "went electric", much to the chagrin of folk purists.

But Mr. Toro is neither a country bumpkin nor a folk purist.

Seeger has been portrayed as a folk "purist" who was one of the main opponents to Dylan's "going electric".