Pasted from Lighter's message:

"Seems to me a folksinger sings mainly to please himself and anyone who might happen to be present.

A folkie sings largely to wow an audience as part of a "performance."

So the question of "believing in the songs you sing" will mainly be a problem for the folkie."

Leaving aside this unfortunate 'folkie / folksinger' terminology, I don't see how the above remarks could be made by anyone who had heard, either first-hand or on record, the singing of Phil Tanner, Sam Larner, Jeaannie Robertson or Fred Jordan. Performers all, both literally and in singing style.

One problem with the catch-all term 'traditional singers' (or 'folksingers') is that the category extends from elderly people racking their brains at the behest of a collector to remember fragments of songs learned as children and quite possibly never exercised since, to consummately skilled public performers who could command a room with drama, nuance and musicality. Not that any of those I mentioned above showed any less committment to their songs, of course.

As for 'folkies', all of the 'revival' singers I've enjoyed most over the years display precisely the kind of passionate committment to their songs that we're talking about here. Ray Fisher, to name but one. And all of those modern 'folkies' who wish to take their songs no further than their local pub singaround are no more giving performances than the denizens of the Blaxhall Ship, retired social workers though some may be.

PS: Jim 1, Blunderbuss 0