I think that her goal succeeds, but it is partly from the type of popularity her music and activities engenders at least in the U.S.. While she has a overall large fan base worldwide, her fan base in most countries is small compared to more mainstream celebrities like Norah Jones or (gasp) Britney Spears. Certainly if I talk to the average man in the street in Austin, Texas (self proclaimed "Live Music Capital of the World") very few people have heard of her. She could certainly walk the streets of Austin and enjoy complete anonymity. This is not intended in anyway as a putdown, but just an observation of where Celtic music is in the general popularity in the U.S.

quote:

Originally posted by Dan:
The way I see it, celebrities aren't that much different from the rest of us, other than having a special talent or circumstance that made them well-known. They probably have the same hopes and desires and faults as the rest of us. It's when a celebrity starts feeling like they're 10 times better than everyone else and everyone should drop everything for them that we get irritated with them. Thankfully, Loreena doesn't act like that at all. For my part, I wouldn't idolize a celebrity. Yeah, I might want to meet them and say thank you for whatever enjoyment they may have brought to me, but I'm not going to treat them much different from anyone else I've just met. Any further admiration will be based on the merits of the individual.

I agree with what you have said, Dan. As the Dalai Lama once said (and I know I am not going to be able to give an accurate quote): "Whether a president or king, they are as any other man: for they are but men." (I apologize, for not being able to remember the actual quote. I have it on my computer, but the Word file refuses to open...) As I was taught in the military: It is required to show respect for the rank (position) of the officer, but it is not required that you respect the person holding that rank. It is not the person who is "special", but what that person does which makes them "special".

I respect not only Loreena as a musician, but also as a person -- because of what she has done and continues doing for the betterment of others.

--Artúr

The way I see it, celebrities aren't that much different from the rest of us, other than having a special talent or circumstance that made them well-known. They probably have the same hopes and desires and faults as the rest of us. It's when a celebrity starts feeling like they're 10 times better than everyone else and everyone should drop everything for them that we get irritated with them. Thankfully, Loreena doesn't act like that at all. For my part, I wouldn't idolize a celebrity. Yeah, I might want to meet them and say thank you for whatever enjoyment they may have brought to me, but I'm not going to treat them much different from anyone else I've just met. Any further admiration will be based on the merits of the individual.

Yes, I believe it is possible for her to be the "Non- Celebrity" that she says she wants to be. It is up to us, "the members of her community", to respect her wishes.
I'd much rather sit down and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee with her, then say Paris Hilton.
There are only a couple shows left for this tour. Then I'm sure she goes home to Stratford and rests for a while, takes care of business and then she sets out on the next part of the "journey" and see where that leads.
Hopefully it will be more music in the making down the road.
So many celebrities come and go quickly, she seems to be in it for the long haul. If we keep respecting her way of doing it, maybe she'll want to continue doing it and not get burned out on celebrity.
I got to meet her, shake her hand and speak briefly with her because she's not a snob, she just wants to be Loreena, and that's fine with me.