Phew! Some strong views expressed here!

Let me re-iterate: I don't care about getting a gig at this club. If he chooses not to book me because he doesn't like my voice, guitar playing, choice of songs or the colour of my shoes that's absolutely fine by me- there are plenty of others who do. (Not bragging- just being honest- honestly!) So let's leave me out of the discussion!!!

I'm pleased to see that most people seem to think, to a greater or lesser degree that there is room for individuality in one's performance. That does not devalue the purists (I don't use that word in a negative way), who are also entitled to their opinions.

What bugs me a bit though, is the attitude that ANY kind of change is ALWAYS wrong. Someone once heard "The Blacksmith", for example, and came up with a tune for it which is just as good as the original (imo anyway). I don't know when this was, but does it matter if it was 150 years ago, 50 years ago or last week? What about (wishful thinking coming up) if someone picks up on my tune for "The Outlandish Knight", starts singing it and people are still singing it in 100 years? Will it then become "traditional enough?" Surely some of Ewan McColl's or Cyril Tawney's songs are now traditional? Or is a song only really acceptable by the trad. lobby if no-one knows who composed it?