Another point raised above: "a folkie sings to wow an audience with a performance" — Jeepers! That's poles apart from the widespread feeling among real traditional singers, who had a way of inhabiting the song when they sang it, consciously remaining in the background themselves to let the song flow through them. Texas Gladden was mentioned ... she's a good example of this.

Naturally not all traditional singers took this viewpoint, but few were showmen/showwomen. For one thing they largely did not "perform," so they didn't sing as a performance. Their singing was private, for themselves or their family and friends. It was fairly restrained by modern standards ... had little of the performance about it at all.

In fact that's the one thing that differentiates the modern "folkie" from the traditional singer, who largely did not sing for effect. No shortage of ego in many traditional singers (Gladden had her share)! But when they sang, the ego tended to sink to the background; the song tended to take over and shine on its own.

I may be criticized for taking a romanticized view. But let me assure you, I've known traditional singers and read of and heard many others, and this "inward" view of a song was pretty common while the traditional people were still a force. "Plugging" a song, copping an attitude with it, was very unusual.

For myself, I find the traditional approach very congenial. I try to let the song sing itself, no nods, no winks, no grandstanding. It's just me in the background letting the song be the star.

Not that I've succeeded all the time, but that's my aim. There are some folkies around still who I think take that approach; more power to them.   Bob