've been doing folk music since the early Fifties.
Some years back, before I had a computer capable of going on-line, a friend of mine presented me with a stack of floppy disks (5 ¼") containing the words to about 3,000 songs, with MIDI tunes for about half of them. The Digital Tradition database. When I got a new computer with internet capability, I went hunting for Digital Tradition. Couldn't find it until I blundered into the Mudcat Café, which, in the interim, had become the "custodian" for the database. I found that since I first received the disks, the database had tripled in size. In exploring the web site, I discovered the forum, saw some interesting discussions about folk music going on, so I started adding my own two-bits worth from time to time. That was back in fall of 1999. Been dropping in regularly ever since.
Why do I keep coming around? I've found music discussions that were interesting and informative, and I've learned a fair amount from some of them. Sometimes someone asks a question that I can answer, so I do. Sometimes there is an exchange of differing viewpoints, and these are often quite interesting and, again, informative.
I live in Seattle, up here in the upper left-hand corner, where, if the United States were an envelope, you'd write your return address. Through the Mudcat forum I've become acquainted with people all over the U. S., Canada, the U. K., Germany, Australia, and a few who, I'm pretty sure, are from Arcturus 12. Although Arcturus is a bit far to come, I've actually met a few of these folks, got together with them, had a beer or two, and swapped a few songs (as a matter of fact, in a couple of weeks I'll be meeting another Mudcatter that I became acquainted with here; he'll be doing a house concert here in Seattle). One person I met here liked my writing and asked me to write some columns for a local folk music magazine, which I've been doing for a couple of years now. A couple of people have even sent me, or presented me, with their CDs. Good stuff!
I've found that if I'm looking for a song or if I have a question on just about any subject, I can post a request on Mudcat, and sometimes within minutes I have an answer. Granted, it might not be the right answer, but more often than not it is. Or at least someone will post a link and I can dig for it myself. Very helpful.
I waste a lot of time on the BS threads discussing and arguing politics, and oddly enough, I find this pretty informative too, especially when someone posts a link to an article or as an effort to back up an assertion. Also frequently informative.
In addition to doing music, I've always want to write, but rarely had the time. Since I'm retired now, I can do it. I spent a lot of time in front of the computer, and when I want to take a break from writing Deathless Prose, I often pop into Mudcat to see what, if anything, is going on.
Those are a few of the things that keep me dropping in.