Have some sympathy with us aged folkies who are trying desperately to keep the flag flying. We're torn between encouraging everyone and anyone to sing in public while at the same time trying to harvest an audience for the music we love.

In the good old days (Ha!) folk club regulars would turn up every week, whoever was booked - Mike Harding followed by Peter Bellamy, Allan Taylor then Louis Killen and so on.

Nowadays the pros are playing arts centres and civic halls and there are slim pickings for your average club organiser to choose from. Of course, the better folk clubs are still supported loyally by some national treasures (we know who they are) but the gap between such venues is growing ever wider.

Which brings us back to sessions like Will Fly's. Having been there occasionally I concur that his lazy bluesman's contributions are truly dismal, and an excuse to visit the gents but, on the other hand, there are one or two of his pub locals who have begun to pluck up the courage to play a song or two. OK, they have the words in front of them but - with Martin Carthy's dictum, "The worst thing you can do to a song is not sing it" in mind - what would you rather have? An exclusive performers' circle or a participatory evening of music making?

Will's is a small informal affair, in a public bar (but with a generally high standard of musicianship) but what bugs me are those with the dreaded music stands who turn up expecting a floor spot at the bigger clubs or sessions. They'll probably get one song, two if they're lucky, once a month but still have an ego which overrides their responsibility to respect the audience they crave. Learn the song, I say, and if you have shown that commitment you'll be forgiven if you're nervous and stumble over the words. As always with the people who disregard this essential connection between performer and audience, their estimation of themselves is in inverse proportion to their talent.