Aargh! Some ballad singers sing with their eyes shut - perhaps Willie should try listening with his eyes shut!
Anyway, another thought has occurred -- accepting that possibly more women than men sing ballads, is anyone else of the opinion that there is a difference in the type of ballad chosen by the sexes? Singers I have heard singing the more stripped-back, formulaic ballads (Lord Randall, Lizzie Wan etc.) have more usually been female; both sexes sing straight narratives (Tam Lin, Matty Groves etc.); sturdy songs of fighting or disputes (Otterburn, Sir Patrick Spens etc.) are more commonly sung by men.

Or am I just imagining all this? Perhaps there is someone out there who has heard a man singing 'The Cruel Mother'...