"Re the mystery singer from Cornwall- Ewan MacColl used to do exactly the same thing- "
Never did - very seldom, if ever visited clubs casually - usually too busy - but would love to know where this particular legend came from - I'm collecting them with a view to compiling a book of them.
As much as I'd love a reference to MacColl borrowing a guitar, I'll pass on that one as his adventures as a guitarist are amply covered by Peggy in The Ewan MacColl Essential Songbook.
MacColl and Seeger made it a point to sit through all the performances wherever they were booked to play - not just out of good manners, which it is, but they were intensely interested in what was happening on the folk scene and constantly complained of ot having time to go and find out for themselves.
On the other hand, I was often an observer to visitors to MacColl's Singers Club turning up, requesting to sing and then returning to the bar, having asked the person on the door (usually my wife Pat) to "Give me a shout when it's my turn".
On the rare occasion their demand was complied with, they would go up, do their bit, then disappear into the night without bothering to find out what kind of club it was, leaving their name, "in case you want to book me".
Who cares who that mysterious singer was?
Jim Carroll