catspaw, I agree totally. and Might add that all of us here know singer/songwriters (even relatively unknown) of today that tell and sing wonderful stories. And sometimes they have to explain a little before singing. But The wonder comes from the song not the talking intro.
Woody said that folk songs should be about wheels and gears and things that were current to the working people of his day. I hear what he's saying. Seems to me that the songs that make me laugh or cry or. . .can be about the lives and situations of people today even about their computers. A good song that moves me - even written today - by someone that most of you may never hear is still folk music to my ears or "folksy". Those singer/songwriters are folk i like to know and spend time with.
PS I, too, still love Prine even if i get tired of playing his tunes around the bluegrass campfires. But that is a good time to introduce one of the last centuries old ballads for everyone to strum along to.