Snail,
"Would he have achieved that without the encouragement from his friends?"
No I wouldn't - I was never asked to sing in clubs from the word 'go' and I never assumed it to being a god-given right - thankfully, neither did anybody else. I was asked to sing in public when people thought I'd done enough work, and not before - but that was in the days when clubs had standards. Are you suggesting that the only way to encourage people is to get them to practice in public (which is what we are talking about here)?   
So far, none of the "I took my harp to a party' school of thought have addressed the question of standards, of responsibility to the audience/fellow performers/music, but have consistently fallen back on "This is what it did for me-me-me", how about what it does for the rest of us?. The only concession to standards seems to be that the 'practicers' are hidden away in the cupboard when the guests arrive and are only allowed to strut their stuff on residents nights - how ******* patronising can you get!
Audiences are, by and large, very supportive; they want you to succeed. On the other hand they can be very fickle; they tend to remember the bad performances just as clearly as the good ones; even more clearly if the bad ones are reeaaaaly bad - so that is the impression which is taken away, and more fuel is added to the "near enough for folk song" image.
Paula t wrote:
"I love the type of singers night where everyone takes their fair turn and no-one is judgmental."
Don't you believe it - everybody is judgmental - they may not express an opinion to your face, but this doesn't mean that they don't have one and are not happy to give it elsewhere.
I ask again (and direct my question to the anything goes crowd); do you believe that there should be a minimum standard for performing in public?
(Un)fortunately, I won't be around to receive an answer (in the unlikely event of one being given) as I'm off to the South Roscommon Singing Weekend at Knockcroghery (tr. The Hill of the Hangman - lovely name).
Jim Carroll