The Topic Folk Club in Bradford has a good listing of people who have ever appeared on stage there, especially since the mid-60s (info a bit thinner before 1964, but in those days there were fewer paid guest acts and more singarounds).

We are pretty sure Ramblin' Jack Elliott (mentioned above) appeared at the Topic some time in 1958. We know for sure that Michael Cooney (mentioned further above) appeared on 22nd May 1970. (Incidentally, and I started another thread to mention it, next Thursday, 1st November, is a Tribute Singers and Musicians night for Alex Eaton, who founded the Topic in 1956 and who died this year at 88.)

Go to the Topic site and click on the A to Z of Past Guests for an alpha listing of all of them, and click on the Gigs List 1960-On for a calendar of weekly club nights split into years and see what Americans you recognise - it might be a useful guide to who was touring.

Here, for instance, is 1970 and Cooney. Peggy Seeger appeared on 6th February (with Ewan MacColl). The following week local bluesman Roger Sutcliffe made his second headline appearance (he'd been on in 1969). He played every year since, the last time 12th July 2012.

1970

2nd January - Singers and Musicians Night
9th January - Roger Knowles and Nick Strutt
16th January - Hamish Imlach
23rd January - Bernard Wrigley
30th January - Roy Bailey

6th February - Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger
13th February - Roger Sutcliffe
27th February - Martin Carthy

6th March - Johnny Handle
13th March - Dave Shannon and Sam Bracken
20th March - Tony Capstick
27th March - Old Richmond String Band

3rd April - Mary Asquith
10th April - Jon Rennard
17th April - Dave Burland
24th April - Jon Raven

1st May - Stefan Sobell
8th May - Robin and Barry Dransfield
15th May - Jugular Vein
22nd May - Michael Cooney
29th May - Tony Rose

5th June - Archie Fisher
12th June - Roy Harris
19th June - Dave Campbell
26th June - Gerry Lockran

3rd July - Louis Killen
10th July - Nic Jones
17th July - Roger Watson and Colin Cater

21st August - The Cutlers
30th October - Marie Little

6th November - Mick Hipkiss & Dave Jones.
13th November - Leon Rosselson
20th November - Dill Davis
27th November - Roger Knowles & Nick Strutt

4th December - Jimmy Hutchison
11th December -
18th December - Jon Rennard
25th December - Club Closed for Christmas Day