Watch out for the self-defeating myths. Here are 3:

1.) You can't make a living at folk-singing
2.) You have to sell out to make enough money
3.) Those bast*rd agents, managers, and record companies will cheat you

1.) You can't make a living at folk-singing? You can if you work a lot. You have to be true to your craft. You have to continually develop your music and all the skills required to do the job. That effort will keep your drive to be successful high, and you'll learn how to best "sell" your music to your audience.

2.) You have to sell out to make enough money? Rubbish. It's your job to figure out how to present the music YOU love to your audiences. People come to your stage/pub/concert because they want to enjoy the experience. It is human nature that they will respond well to things that they know and love already. So learn to play those "standards" they like, that you like too - and learn to get them interested in the new songs you love.

3.) Those bast*rd agents, managers, and record companies will cheat you? I've been making all of income from music for about 10 years. I've never met one of those "bast*rds" yet. I'm there are some, but you meet jerks in every walk of life. You make your best judgments about people and situations and act accordingly. Music is no different.

The few agents that I've worked with are sweet hearts. I'd work with them again in a heartbeat. And Thank God for the other performers. At the bottom of my heart, underlying all of the work and effort I put into this way of live, is a deep abiding love for music - songs and singing. And that is also true for all of the music friends I have. Seamus Kennedy (above) is one of the truly kindest folks you'll ever meet and he's always happy to lend a hand to fellow musician. The late, great Rick Fielding (former Mudcatter), likewise went to great pains to assess and assist the musicianship of every musician he met. My friends Ed Miller and Brian McNeill, both very focused on their own work have never-the-less been truly generous to me in my efforts to get started in this business. And there are lots of other stories like this. It is not just the goodness of their hearts - it is the fire of music that burns in their hearts.

Worried about the jealous, unfriendly types in the music world? Forget them. There are plenty of good hearted folks. Find them and stick them - and most importantly; BE one of them. You'll be in a position to pass it on someday.