Ron has made a number of very good points. There is, as they say in mainstream showbiz, no place to go to be "bad" any more. Further with the currently available technologies there is, as far as many newer performers are concerned, no need for such a thing.
    Part of the "closed door" phenomenon which Ron described comes from when the market very nearly dried up entirely at the end of the 1970's. For our own creative (and, one must say, commercial) survival we circled the wagons. Some haven't looked outside the circle lately to discover that there is no more need for the circling. Even with the much larger market that we have now, the number of people trying to work in that marketplace has increased beyond imagination. Many feel threatened by all of the new talent.
    The good news is that there are just as many (one hopes more) people in folk music who remeber that "community" is the whole point of what we do, and that sharing the musical wealth is part and parcel of why we love folk music.
      The obvious solution is for those us who can and are willing to get out there to make contact with other musicians in your area. Start an open mic. Get a songwriter's group going. Haunt the open mics that DO exist and do what you can to set a good example. the young people that I encounter at my open mic (which I've been running for two wnd a half years) are almost always willing to learn. If you have the knowledge you have the responsibility to share it.
    We can sit here and gripe until the cows come home OR we can take positive action to solve the problem.


Stephen Lee