Hi Scrump,

I'd prefer not to give specific examples from the British Folk Scene (cowardly, I know - but they do say that "discretion is the better part of valour", don't they?).

(There are, though, plenty of examples from the Pop/Rock world of people singing in 'silly voices' - let's see, off the top of my head: Bob Dylan, David Bowie, nearly all of the Punks, Morrisey, Oasis etc., etc., etc. (oh dear, perhaps I've offended some Pop/Rock fans here - hope so!). And this habit of 'contrived vocalisation' can 'leak through' to the Folk World).

Generally, I tend to feel that a rather odd 'folk club voice' has developed on the British Folk Scene, and this is a voice that has very little to do with British oral tradition. It has, though, got everything to do with a handful of highly influential professional folk singers who have been slavishly imitated.
The voice itself, especially among male singers, is always rather nasal with, often, a rather 'drony' quality. Difficult to describe in more detail - but it is instantly recognisable. In my ideal world people would emulate (rather than imitate) both the best Revival singers AND Traditional singers and work to develop their own voice and style.