"Just because a professional (i.e., "commercial") performer makes his/her living on a relatively modest scale, rather than by playing huge arenas, does NOT ipso facto make them folk performers."

I agree, that is not what I meant. As you noted "a performer might well learn to reach using a very calculated, strategic approach" and that is a different perspective, reason AND tradition that separates them from the community.

Many of the source singers that we can thank were paid - that does not negate that the song came out of a folk tradition.