I agree with Jeri up there. The thing that I find toe-curlingly embarrassing and irritating, as a listener, is the theatricality (is that a word) with which some singers, am and pro, feel it necessary to embellish their performance. I suppose there is an ego issue for anybody who 'performs' - I just hate it when somebody thinks they need to impress more with their delivery than what they are delivering.
As far as authenticity is concerned, does one have to have had the specific 'experience' in order to 'feel'. If that's the case, why do I always feel like crying when I hear 'The Last Leviathan'. I've never seen a whale die. I can however empathise with fear, loss, lack of hope. I have my own pictures when I hear or sing 'The Band Played Waltzing Matilda'.
And with regard to the perennial 'what is a folkie....' stuff, we just have another example of how restricting language can be. Who gives a rats arse what you call somebody or their music as long as it fits with what you enjoy? Who are we defining it for?