And Peggy wrote what she wrote in 'The Living Tradition'; that was Ewan's and her stance and that was the policy club committee continued to follow.
Since Ewan's death Peggy has tended to avoid controversial discussion on the revival.
Peggy's letter sums up perfectly the club policy and why it was adopted far more succinctly than her somewhat evasive answer to a complicated question. I would have been surprised if she had taken up the question asked in the circumstances of that particular interview with a non-folkie - Clive Anderson.
I have no doubt whatever that she still holds the views she did on the policy of the Singers Club - we spent a day or so with her last year when she toured Ireland, and watched her knock a capacity audience (many of whom were hearing her live for the first time) dead with her ballad singing - not much of sign of compromise there.
As far as the Singers/Ballads and Blues go; I know what happened. Even if I hadn't spoken to many of those involved, I still have Ewan's article somewhere - 'Why I am opening a new club' in an old Karl Dallas magazine, (Folk Music?). Whatever the facts of the matter, I know which club continued to add to the enjoyment and promotion of folk music in the decades following, up to Ewan's death.
Jim Carroll