In reply to KingBrilliant and General Lud The difference between a singers night and a singer around description of in " Folk Clubs" (Folk Clubs usual a private room in a Public House. Where a charge for entry was made on the door this nominal charge would then give the control of the room to the organiser and or committee or Co-operative). "Resident singers and or Group" a number of musicians and or singers poets. Who would support the club by performing regularly at the club? They would for their efforts receive some benefits these could be beer free entry not only on singer's night but also on guest nights or a share of the profits. "Guest Nights" a professional or seem- professional Folk Artist would perform and the door fee and monies from the club funds (profits from singer's nights and raffles) would make up their fee. Sometimes the club would break even or make a profit or loss on the nights. Clubs would come and go and others would spring up in their place.

So a singers night would be when club residents would, along with singers from other clubs would perform a set of three songs. The club's MC who's job it would be to create an atmosphere. He or She would attempt to do this by manipulating running order of the artists and by using his or her repartee to introduce each singer or group of singers. Different techniques would shine through ever artist could be ether depending on the MC personality the most wonderful or He or She would introduce ever artist or group as crap. Whichever technique was used the MC's who managed to make each and ever singer feel at ease and valued would encourage singers to visit that club again.

The basic rule of the club would be that the audience would not chat amongst themselves whilst some one was performing. The set's of three song's would enable the singers to build up a sets of songs that would then joined together enable them to become guest's at other folk club's. That is if they were thought to be talented enough to do so by club organisers.

The failure of General Lud to make a commercial success running singers nights to raise funds is not a reason for others not to try to make it work. I did say that I was toying with the idea of running a club were singer's nights with booked singers and guests would be used as the format. I also expected that the likelihood would be that it would fail financially. General Lud has been running Folk Clubs for many years he has learned to treat the running of his club as a business and not a charity. Good advise! However the main point of this thread is the use of songbooks! The point I'm trying to make is that songbooks and or singer around do little to promote the art of delivering, performing, singing or playing and instrument. Making room on your clubs calendar to run singers nights and promoting those nights! Probably will not make your club a profit in the short term. It will hopefully however give up and coming singers and or musician a chance to learn some stagecraft. That in the long term has to be profit!

On the other hand you could run some auditions and manufacture a folk groups and singers instead. Who needs oral tradition when you can create Clones!