"Jim, you really should lighten up."
Sorry Hoot - it's a little difficult to "lighten up" when you are accused of "teaching traditional singers how to sing" and reading descriptions of somebody you respect which bear no relation to reality - will try harder.
Cap'n
Ewan could be arrogant in certain circumstances - quite often defenvely so - I think I told you of the attempts to sabotage 'The Travelling People' Radio Ballad which is now passed around as an anti-MacColl story - or how he 'stole 'Shoals of Herring' from the tradition and claimed it as his own - I'll tell you the story of the hedgehog and the worms sometime.
He could also be somewhat unrealistic on occasion; his tendency to exaggerate was legendary.
Having said that, his generosity and desire to involve others in traditional song dominated everything he did.
When the acting group broke up he had what his son Neil described as a breakdown; for a period he cut himself off from everybody.
One night we were at The Singers and we were discussing the London Singers Workshop, which we had helped set up to work with raw singers around The Singers and The West London Folk Club.
We described what we were doing and, out of the blue he said, "I'll come and give a hand if you want"
He came along on a monthly basis for around a year - great evenings; and eventualy he agreed to be interviewed by us, talking just about his involvment and ideas on song - a project that took six months to complete.
I don't know anybody in his position who would have put that much effort into working with others, certainly none of his detractors.   
Jim Carroll