I read the debate and I am finding it tiresome, seems to me like "folk music" is a broad church. OK I get really brassed off when I go to a venue and see a queue of ten guitars lined against a wall and ten expectant singer/songwriters getting up unleashing their ten minute gems about wondering why their wife left them, that is not to denigrate the plethora of excellent writers and performers on the scene, and, in a civilised world these people should be heard, that is folk music in one sense, it's the music in the community like rap etc.. In another sense it is about people gathering and singing to make them feel happy, it is more about participation, I am of that school, it gives me an immense amount of pleasure to hear a dozen or so voices ringing out from the four corners of the pub or club, the singer songwriter culture is exclusive where the sing around is inclusive and in between all that are ranged the rest!
Peter