If I may respond to the comments by chillibean.

I am not saying that he does not have a valid point, but I think he is blaming the wrong people. Those of us old gits that have been into folk music for decades do indeed often have very fixed ideas about what and what is not folk music. It is not an age thing, nor is it a content thing. It is simply this;

Some of us go to the trouble of setting up a 'folk club' or 'session club' in order to promote and listen to the sort of music 'we' like. That is it in a nutshell. 'The sort of music we like'. Now, I would be happy for anyone, age, sex or whatever to come along and sing or play folk music or music in the traditional style. What we are not happy about is people coming along and playing 'pop music or jazz or rock. Not that there is anything wrong with these genres, it is just a question of performing appropriate material for a folk club. There are loads and loads of young talented folk performers about, loads of them and most of them are bloody good and would be welcomed at most folk clubs, I really don't know why you think they wouldn't. Lots of these young people write their own material and much of it is very good and in the folk style.

However, if some 'upstart' comes along and tries to sing 'Pop' or 'Jazz' or 'World Music (whatever that is)' then yes, they are unlikely to get a good reception, in the same way as a bloke going into a local Jazz club and singing a 12 verse unaccompanied folk ballad – he is unlikely to be Mr Popular for the night.

It's really just a case of choosing your material to suit the venue. Simples