"I thought the original point was about organization rather than definition?"

It was both Jack and I suspect they may be linked. For instance it might be the very homespun character you attribute to folk performance that leads it to require a higher authority, as though folkiness may leak away if not kept in harness.

On Michael Scully's point I think in practice it is a sound and a definition for reasons explored elsewhere. The tradition is inextricably linked to traditional instuments and types of performance that aren't desribed AFAIA in 1954. The motivation may not be to create that link or those modes but they certainly exist and I discern no rush to book metal/dance/classical bands performing traditional pieces. We're back to the small scale club committees reinforcing those suppositions in a virtual/vicious (depending on your pov) circle.