I thought he was a good singer, a good guitarist and a reasonable pop songwriter, who could possibly have done even better things had he been so inclined. Maybe he did, but I never got to hear them. I enjoyed his gigs on television and he came over to me as he did to Don Meixner.
I would agree that some folks have overpraised his talent and achievements, but that is no reason to castigate the man himself. He is not someone, whom I would call a folk icon, but he does come across as a likeable man and a fine entertainer. "The Ballad of Geraldine" is a fine reworking of the "Rosemary Lane" genre of folk songs and I would not be surprised if it eventually joined the tradition.
As it happens, I also reckon that in a hundred years, Ray Davies is far more likely to be considered as a source of lasting folk songs.