Harry - Ali's beaten both of us to it this week!

I can only echo what Vin has said above about the Spinners. If it wasn't for certain groups and individuals then we probably wouldn't have a folkscene as we know it today. How many folk groups had a regular television series on the box year after year bringing the music into people's homes and hopefully making them go out and look for places to listen to the music. Hughie Jones was a guest recently at our club at Rainford and it was one of the best nights of singing we've had for a long time coupled with the tales that Hughie was telling us.
Other people in the same mould would be the Ian Campbell folk group, Ewan MacColl, The Fivepenny Piece, The Houghton Weavers, The Yetties and maybe others from around the country - maybe not the type of groups that died in the wool folkies would admit to liking but certainly people who brought the music we like to the masses. What would we give to have not only a radio show but a TV show as well dedicated to local folk music. Those days are gone I'm afraid because TV executives aren't interested in it anymore - it doesn't bring the ratings in. I'd love to see a programme like "Ballad of the North West" made again

Cheers
Mark