I'll admit right off that I didn't read every entry in this thread, but I'm wondering about Murray's comment 'way back at the top of the page: There are no folk clubs in America, just organizations that promote folk music...

Are we referring to clubs where people go to make music, not only to listen? I know that there are a lot of folk groups that put on concerts and coffeehouses, and that's great--keeps the 'big names' of folk music fed & clothed. The folk society that I belong to, however, puts on very little in the way of formal concerts. We exist to make music ourselves. The mainstay of our get-togethers is jamming and a "song swap," or open stage. Everyone is welcome to contribute, from the beginner to the professional--and they do!

I don't know if there are many other organizations like ours out there, but we've been going on for almost 30 years now...almost as long as I have!...

...and, yes, I think it's brilliant!!