Just picking up this thread again and inviting vitriol from purists everywhere, I just found an old 'Collector EP with brief notes by Reg Hall.
The gist of his totes then was (and I doubt if he's changed his views 50 years later) that a pub singer giving full value to 'Lily of Laguna' in the public bar is a lot more interesting and meaningful than someone droning Child ballad number whatever it is in the folk club upstairs.
Academic study is fine, and most of us are very grateful for research into the tradition, but it's not real life, is it

I'm with Reg 100pc on this.....