"There are indeed vested interests who have have a very real reasojn to enlarge the definition of "folk" to involve contemporary acoustic/singer song writer music."

From a business standpoint, that would be ridiculous. "Folk" is a commercial "F" word, conjuring up impages of old men in flannels and grandmas in paisley dresses singing out of tune songs about whales or cowboys. If a singer-songwriter wanted to hitch onto a commercial trend, they would call themselves rock or alternative or country or new age or anything but folk. There is a terrible image of what "folk music" became, and the examples of bickering that goes on here reinforces reasons why outsiders look at the music a big joke. There is more harm done in the holier than thou attitude and indignation that goes on over what songs should be sung that you are burying the music you love out of selfish pride.

You are not wrong to consider the criteria of what constitutes a traditional "folk song", and what tradition that particular song belongs to - but when you create a country club attitude, you are slamming the door in the face of future generations. You will be remembered as the ones who killed the tradition.