I only mentioned the "arrangements" by the Lomaxes because I got the impression from your words:

"We joined the folk scene to get away from the commercial aspects of entertainment, now some people seem to be setting up their own cottage industry"

seem to imply that it is only now that people are copyrighting folk material.

Re "Love Me Tender" I was not defending a bloody syrupy pop song but I do enjoy the up-tempo fiddle version of the tune "Ora Lee".