Many of the folk clubs in southern New England have died, or cut back severely on their bookings. Not all. There are still some hold outs among the older folk clubs. Now, if you're talking about clubs with open mike nights that cater almost exclusively to twenty-something (or younger) singer/songwriters that don't know the roots of folk music, some of them are thriving. Pay to get in, get to do two songs, and maybe GET A BOOKING, or BE DISCOVERED! Of course, the audience is made up of other people hoping to get a booking or be discovered. Those kind of clubs have their value... most of us started off on open mike nights, or hootenannys as they were called in the Stoned Age. It's a good way to learn the craft of performing and entertaining. I think that the real difference is that back in the 60's, there were a lot of performers doing traditional material, along with the new generation of singer songwriters and the Kingston Trio clones. The clubs that offer mostly traditional or tradition-based musicians are indeed dying off. At least in Southern New England.

Jerry