Hi Dave. So, you thought you'd escape me by moving to Skipton? Ha! You can't even escape my dancing, as I'll be there with Seven Stars, for 'Clogfest' in July. As regards dancing in clubs, I used to do it in the '70s, with The Wakes, and have done it an odd time recently, by request of the organiser; as it happened, one of the regulars was able to accompany me. Are you doing Abram this year? Hope to see you at one or other event, anyway.

Matt: Thanks for looking at the new site. The old one wasn't actually mine; it was some spare space Al Whittle had, and he set it up - I had no cotrol. As regards all those internet sites, Iit's not the way for me. My computer skills don't go much beyond swearing at the bloody thing. I haven't even got a computer of my own - can't afford one, and wouldn'e be able to set anything up on it. But even if I did, it would do no good. I'll guarantee that a goodly number of club organisers don't spend a lot of time scouring these websites looking for guests. It's a buyers' market. Too many of us chasing too few bookings. And some organisers have their own fixed ideas about who to book. Others don't trust CDs and publicity handouts. I wouldn't, if I were running a club. As has been suggested on this thread, it's too easy to make a recording, and there's too much scope for sexing up recordings. Same with publicity. I could, as easily as anybody else, send out glossy, professional photographs (which tell you nothing about what I sound like), and a blurb telling you that I am one of the UK's most accomplished singers, a stunning intrumentalist and acclaimed song arranger, blah, blah, blah. Once people have been had by this sort of bilge, and the accompnying slick, over-produced CD (featuring various famous musicians, to make the mediocre singer sound good) they no longer give any credence to such things. If I turn up, by arrangement, at their club, and get up in front of their audience and perform, they know exactly what they would be getting, and can see how their audience reacts to it. I know that many people think I'm crackers, but I believe this is the way to do things. But I've been to clubs where the organiser is simply NOT INTERESTED - have been very off-hand, and simply treated me as any other floor singer, although I've emailed or phoned in advance and explained who I am and that I am Looking for dates. And I've spoken to other singers who have had the same experience with the same organisers. All the internet presence in the world isn't going to impinge on their consciousness. I've also gone down the road of sending out demo CDs to festivals: nothing - zippo - zilch. Some of them didn't even respond to my request for an address to send the demo. I think you said, on another thread a few months ago (my appologies if this wasn't you) in response to somebody looking for advice on getting dates, that it has never been easier to get bookings - you listed all the ways of publicising yourself. I would take issue; it's true that there have never been so many ways to publicise yourself, many of which are free, or inexpensive, but getting dates is another matter. I've been singing in the clubs for 45 years, all but a few years gap, and I'd say it's never been harder. Of course, as evidenced by the experiences recounted on this thread, there will always be those who manage to blag their way in. And while it's difficult to know what's the best way to guard against it, they do tend to have short careers.

Sorry- wittering again. John Kelly.