Ron et al-

"Blacklisting"?

I'm not sure how that practice has anything to do with Sol coordinating a house concert.

His guests made a choice to leave the concert but demanded their money back because the performers didn't meet their criteria of what should be sung. In my opinion they have no claim for a refund. Sol is entirely within his rights to invite whatever performers he wants to his house concerts, even Burl Ives (although Ives is not operational currently).

Are you suggesting that any house concert host should affirmatively invite the full spectrum of political aligned singers, from left to right, Democratic to Republican, Green Party to Red Party, John Birch Society to John (Jack) Reed Club? If so I disagree with you.

However, I do agree with Oscar Brand that Burl Ives should be broadcast on a folk music radio show, even though Ives did help blacklist many other fine folk music performers. He was a fine singer and an inspiration to many. And Oscar Brand was familiar with what Ives had done long before he was confronted by Dave Van Ronk.

As a further aside, In 1959, Dick Ellington and Dave Van Ronk wrote and self-published THE BOSS'S SONGBOOK, the subtitle of which was "Songs to Stifle the Flames of Discontent." It was supposed to be a humorous collection, consciously modeled on the IWW Little Red Songbook. Some on the left were not amused.

The question of what house concerts one as a guest should consider going to is an entirely different question, and it is a matter of personal taste and experience. Refunds should not have any role in that consideration, in my opinion, unless the performers are unable to make their gig.

Charley Noble