I think that to discuss this thoroughly we have to look at those that followed, whether your "queen" is Joan, Judy, Carolyn, Buffy, Joni, Odetta, Janis, Mary, or anyone else. Look at where women folksingers are now, compared to where they were then. THEN discuss who had the most influence on them.

Try working backwards from today, in other words. You might find that the woman who most influenced today's women folksingers (and men, too!) was someone called "None Of The Above."