The newfolk event you mention: is that the one held at Kerrville, TX? If so when I appeared on it in 1978 there were no audition fees at all. Several of the 40 of us who were selected to perform later became very successful musicians: Nancy Griffith and Jon Ihms, in particular. Some, like Tim Henderson, who wrote and sang a hilarious satire on Anita Bryant, were just having loads of fun. It was fun to participate but the cost of transportation to the fest. kept me from ever doing it again. Could it be that this pay-to-play phenomena is strong evidence of opportunists finding their way in a rapidly-changing world? Like the poor, the ambitious we will always have with us. Musicians perform for some many different reasons and we refuse to perform for many different reasons. I guess it takes all of us to make the big song sing.