I did not hear the programme but reading Richard Bridge's comments above it reminded me of the "FOLK Singing" I was taught at school. Absolute crap it just bored me to tears and would have put me off for life,all the artificiality of it and the stodgy piano accompaniment. Forunately through my initial interest in New Orleans Jazz at around 13 years of age this spread into Blues and Folk orientated music in general where I discovered a completely different and honest treatment of people's songs and singing.
Paul Robeson had the same effect on me. The way he sang "Shortnin' Bread" killed it stone dead but then I heard Gid Tanner and his ilk.

Hoot