Hi Avril:
All the nonsence aside, there is a folk mafia, and I know I will get flamed about it, because they are a bunch of well meaning nice folks, who always tend to think of the same people when booking shows. There are a few extreme execptions... here in New York, I have to say, Joel Landy has been good enough to put me on the teli a fair number of times, but it has little to do with audience appreciation. I have brought houses down at my gigs, not bragging, but check the reviews for my band written by folks who actualy heard us. But, the small circle of friends is at work, and frankly, for me, I work too hard busking and flogging my music, as well as working for social change in the US (anti war - pro nomadic rights - anti racialist... etc...) to hang out with the "in crowd" so I just am not on their minds... though sometimes it seems more than that... but to give them the benifit of the doupt. I will go a little farther on the subject of my being overlooked, my complete lack of Pinewoods bookings looks to me like a blacklist.
Good luck and keep singing to the audiences not the bookers.
Larry Otway