To return to Kampervan's initial question...

In the UK I would guess at under 1,000 if you include all those who do add-ons like schools etc and perform "non-folk" gigs. It might be a lot less than that, even into the mid-hundreds mark if you discount those who have a second income or additional support.

There does become a question of definitions (how do you classify someone like Simon Mayor).

I would like to be proved wrong and that there are lots of folkies out there earning a living but....

Steve