Richard,
It's been asked numerous times, here and elsewhere, and has yet to be answered - would you apply the same criterion to painting, acting, sculpting, opera, jazz (or even being an electrician)....... if not, why not? Is the singing of folk songs an inferior pursuit to all of these?
I believe that it lies within the abilities of most people to sing - as long as they are prepared to put in the time and effort.
'Superior', 'judgement' and 'exclude' are all loaded words that only
serve to avoid the main issue. Nobody, as far as I can see, is attempting to "sit in judgment on" or be "superior to" or "exclude" anybody - we are simply asking that a performer reaches a certain (not particularly high) standard before they sing in public - what is wrong with that?
For me this whole question revolves around a piece of contempt that has plagued the revival from the word go - "it takes no effort, thought or talent to sing folk songs". Do you believe this? If the answer is 'no', why is it unreasonable to expect that a new singer first puts in the effort, thought and time in order to develop their talents to the level where we can all sit back and enjoy their singing?
Again I ask, don't we owe at least that much to to the people who made and passed down the songs.
Folk song has yet to find its place in the sun in Britain, it will never get that place without the work being put in.
Jim Carroll