In medieval Gaelic and British culture, a bard was a professional poet, employed by a patron, such as a monarch or nobleman, to commemorate the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities.
In the second half of 20th century the word 'bard' became used in Polish and Russian for influential singer-songwriters regardless of their style (varying from folk through guitar ballad to soft rock) to show they are respected as poets, not only musicians. See also minstrel, a similar term.
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