I must support Shimrod on his last sceptical post re Sinister Supporter's bizarre remarks.
"with Folk song which research has shown can include any song of any genre sung in a designated folk context by designated folk singers" (Sinister Supporter, March 2410.58AM
"Resaerch has shown"? Researched by whom?"Designated folk context" ? Designated by whom? Possibly the elusive "distinguished international experts" who regularly appear in the popular press or news broadcats. Or perhaps it means "I read it in Wikipedia".

I'm counting 35 years of frequenting folk festivals, folk radio, folk clubs, folk singarounds, folk record shops, folk websites, folk fora, and other Designated Folk Contexts* as research, by way of observing the empirical evidence from which I conclude that Folk song can include any song of any genre sung in a designated folk context by designated folk singers. Now, which bit of that statement do you find difficult to understand, or disagree with? Or for that matter find bizarre?

* Desinated by whom? The folk singers, festival organisers, folk club residents, organisers, punters, floor singers etc. - in short - the Folk, without whom there would be no Folk Music.