Well, good! I'm encouraged by the comments about lack of separation. I don't want to make too big a deal about it anyway. Incidentally, in a sense there have always been two groups of people at the Getaway - FSGW members and non-members. Now maybe there are three - FSGW, non-FSGW, Mudcat - although as Charlie pointed out they are not mutually exclusive. Historically the only difference between members and non-members is that members get a registration preference in case the camp fills up. That is not currently an issue since we are not close to filling this camp.
I really welcome newcomers for their new input if for nothing else. We've had great fun singing the same songs over the years, but it's also great fun learning new ones or variations of the ones we already know. The communal knowledge of music in this group is astounding.
Something else occurred to me over the course of the weekend. What other knid of music could I be interested where I could actually meet, talk to, spend the weekend (or week) with my musical heroes? I love the music of Paul Simon, for instance, but my chances of meeting him are nil. On the other hand, I also love the Copper family songs, and I have met them and spent a week with them at Pinewoods Camp. It seems like there is less separation between the great performers of folk music (at least most of them) and their admirers than in other types of music. The reason, I surmise, is that folk music was meant to be done by everyone, not just some stage performers. Some of us (not me) are fortunate enough to be able to devote their lives to it and make at least a meagre living from it. From Rick Fielding's comments this weekend I'm not sure whether it's a blessing or a curse. In his case it is certainly a blessing for the rest of us.