Living here in New York, and being a bit out of the trad folk loop, I just heard Sam Lee for the first time last week as a supporting act to Patty Griffin. I thought he was fantastic. I don't really know the history of the "sniping", but it seems to me that all the marketing and business acumen in the world means nothing if you don't have the voice, talent, musicianship and charisma to back it up. Sam Lee has these in spades. He is doing well because he is damn good.