The thing is that there are a lot of 'good' performers around in folk clubs, there are also a lot of 'excellent' performers around. In order to stand out from the crowd you either need 'charisma' or a gimmick. Now charisma doesn't come over very well on a CD [see Noel Murphy] but gimmicks can if they're aural, and the same is true of visual gimmicks on TV. It's amazing how far a sexy outfit can get a slightly better than average violinist [see Vanessa Mae].
Many 'folkie' performers have in the past 'dressed up' for the TV cameras, I was looking at some of the photo's in the Strawbs link I posted, and the outfits some of them wore were hilarious, but as they no doubt might say, "Hey it got me noticed" and that's really the name of the game.
We have loads of talented people here on the Cat but not enough of them are getting the bookings or the recognition they deserve.
So I suggest that not being in the right place at the right time, coupled with seeing people you know you are better than getting not very well deserved recognition, is one of the justified causes of the carping attitude that comes from some of us.
How many of us can look at or listen to some new 'discovery' and say I know somebody who can sing/play/dance/whatever better than him/her. Different strokes for different folks added to the fact the 'Life sucks'make this an unfair world, and we just need to get over it.
Giok