I'm with you all the way, Andy, on talent not (unfortunately) necessarily increasing with age but I fear your specs must be coloured with rather to much of the rose tint if you think the folk scene is one of the least prejudiced places on the planet.

Interestingly, It seems to me far less so amongst the young performers where I have yet to hear any of them publicly slagging off each other.. Musical collaboration, sharing and encouragement are part and parcel of their way of working - an example which many of the old farts would do well to emulate.