Thanks Declan. Thanks also Smallpiper (are you related to weepiper?) even though you don't agree it's worth the effort. Start a new thread on the Beeb's role and I'm sure you'll get comment from the great, the good, and the common viewers/listeners too. Cheers too, Ed. Karine wrote the song, the rest of us just arranged it with her, so all the credit for actually creating the piece must go to her. We just did the best we can to make it as powerful as possible. We all love the song, but none of us is heading down the bookies to check our odds (if you know what I mean). Like I said, the main thing for us is that enough of the judges thought enough of our work to nominate us in the first place. Sorry if this seems a bit mundane, but a gradual approach is reaaly the only way to succeed in the business. Very few acts get "discovered" and propelled to folk-stardom within months.
Go on, someone. Start a thread about the BBC commitment to folk music, and the nature of "competitiveness in music". You'll find as many opinions as the are 'catters, I feel sure.
m.d.