I think Joan's comment is simply self-serving. She wants to be held in equal esteem by the American public and internationally as Kathryn Battle, or Placido Domingo, or even Ella Fitzgerald. She is saying Folk Music (and thus she herself) does not enjoy the respect of opera, classical music in general, or even Jazz. These other "Art forms" while somewhat marginal commercially, enjoy the cachet of "ART" in capital letters.

Tough Joanie, you're just another folkie like the rest of us and unlikely to be canonized. You're just a @#$%ing singer after all, Joanie.

IMHOP Fortunato