not at all enjoyed your reflections - feel free to write more anytime. I've got a facebook page and I would be interested in what you have to say.
not sure I agree about Martin Simpson. he plays half a dozen styles very creditably. his decision to speed the piece up and add all the piedmont style fancy bits was presumably his choice. he could have done it in the standard way with bass F on the C - slowing it down and giving that yearning feeling. but he must have decided not to.