Trouble is that there are very few "Folk Clubs" today, very few performing what I would recognise as being Folk music (And this will probably shock him to the core - but in this I am in total agreement with Jim Carroll).

From the above posts:

1: the standard of music in Folk Clubs is not what it used to be.

Couldn't agree more.

2: its due to decline of Folk Clubs generally"

Again agreed, they now no longer serve as bearers of tradition and places where new talent is encouraged and new artists can cut their teeth and develop their performance skills - those who have ditched paying for Guest artist evenings and opted for the "Club Session" which in the UK generally means sing rounds where any genre of music is performed usually very poorly. Even with crib sheets the same stuff is regurgitated each week with no discernible sign of improvement.

The material on offer has become poor covers of 1950s, 60s & 70s pop songs - Not Folk.

On the up side by trial and error you do find the rare "sessions" that are actually "sessions" not performance slots for the mediocre. The musicians have a marked advantage over the singers as in tunes sessions you have to be of a certain standard to stay the pace.

There have been threads to the gist that anybody can sing - taken basically and literally this is true in the same vein that anyone can perform brain surgery - what will vary is the standard and competence brought to the table. So only those fully trained and qualified should perform brain surgery, build rockets, etc, etc. In reality and to be kind to those sitting listening there are those who can sing and those who cannot and should not sing in public (With or without crib sheets)

3: " the concept that everyone has a right to have their 15 minutes in the spotlight - regardless of whether they know how to present their material or not. It's as though the world is one gigantic X-Factor or "Folk Clubs Got Talent". In reality, we don't have any right to waste people's time."

SPOT ON Will Fly, SPOT ON.

4: "Now we have a small core of fairly strong clubs booking high profile guests but a lot of clubs that primarily have singers nights with few or no guests and, with some honourable exceptions, are pretty much as described by the OP."

Again accurately put.