I grew up listening to a tape of a live recording of the Limelighters. Recorded probably around the time I was born. I found a copy of the LP in a shop in Greenwich Village in the mid 80's and packed it back across the country. Still have it. I used to perform the Malvina Reynolds song which chorus included "run, run from the Little Folk, or you'll have dead leaves in your pockets and snowflakes in your hair." Love "Gunslinger", "Goin' 'Cross the Plains Charmin' Betsy", "Curimau", "Harry Pollit", live recording of "Whistling Gypsy" ("c'mon Glenn, just pucker!), live recording of "Hard Ain't it Hard" ("the last time I seen her false hearted smile, she lay dead on the Kremlin floor").
My friends - both then and now - don't have an appreciation for this music. I am not fussed over how commercial, or non, any particular 'act' happens to be. I do not mind 'traditional' music being 'cleaned up' to a certain extent to make it more commercially appealing. I do not have to listen to a scratchy recording made in a kitchen in the Blue Mountains to appreciate a song - nor does it have to be professionally recorded in a studio somewhere with 'schooled' musicians for it to be considered worth listening to. My appreciation is for a good song (there's a subjective phase!) performed with heart and enthusiasm and love for the music.
PB