It sounds to me, like Dick and others on this thread, that the organiser was doing a "fob off" line ...after all, if his words are taken at face value that would mean virtually no one could get a gig at his club. Martin Carthy and Nic Jones have both sung trad words to a tune of their own composition or a tune belonging to another song, for example, and although there may be some performers of trad material who have never done this there aren't many of them around.

There are all kinds of "fob off" lines around. Sometimes, as performers, we've compared notes, and almost anything will disqualify you for a gig with some clubs. Being female, being male, being a songwriter, not being a songwriter, being funny, not being funny ... the list is almost endless. Shrug your shoulders and move on!

Anne