Hi Lowden,
Martin Carthy, Vin Garbutt .??? check their gig lists - No problems there.
I think your list was a little bit "cosy", maybe you should have added,(bearing in mind the financial aspects which have been raised recently in this thread) would you pay a fiver entrance for someone you've never heard of before?.
Clubs are all different, different economic catchment areas, ideals , values etc.etc., and the ones who for example arrange a "special" at the Village Hall 'cos their club room is too small, usually manage to attract either of those two gentlemen or equivalent and also cater for other local clubs wishing to see the "bigger" names. Jeez when I first started to go our tiny folk club,we could see at least 2 times a year Barbara Dickson, Christy Moore, Maddy Prior/Tim Hart, any or all the High level Ranters, Carrott, Harding, Capstick, Finbar and Eddie Furey,Garbutt, Carthy,the Yetties,the Fettlers,Alex Campbell, Derek and Dorothy Elliot, Dave and Tony Arthur , the Matthews Brothers,Diz Dizley Martin Wyndham Read etc etc and lots of others readers will tell the same story about their formative years.
They were all fucking brilliant - not learning their skills , but honing them, and eventually a wider audience wanted to experience them.
Strangely THAT wider audience generally wouldn't be seen dead at a folk club but that's another story !.
Maybe a sad part is the highly talented young people of today /in recent years who only dipped their toes in the folk club scene, and were instantly whisked away to the Concert and Festival circuit without us truly seeing them in a folk club setting for any extended period. Our loss - their gain.what would you rather do ,(say) one £300
gig a week, or five gigs in five days x £60.
One of those obviously attracts at lot of expense of being away from home an dthe financial equation becomes in congruous.
Earning a living in Folk is in many ways the same as earning an living in any job.
It depends on how dedicated you are, family connections, how good you actually are,what lucky breaks you get,who you upset, a MUST is to be a good politician and diplomat, recognise lying bastards, ability to sell yourself, whether your face "fits" in certain circumstances but most of all , have you got that bit of "magic" which performers need - just to name but a few essential attributes.
It certainly isn't easy . If you think it's about doing 2 x 45 mins sets and picking up the money - think again - and forget it.
Must go and set my alarm clock for work tomorrow - TFIF !!!!
Cheers Betsy