I saw this thread title, and my gut reaction was, OH YEAH- with a specific cantor at church in mind, But thinking it through, it is a particular mannered, affected, artificial sound that repulsed me, and many classically trained have the taste to avoid that style of singing when not appropriate.

Earlier mentions of Rhiannon Giddens' fine singing is a prime example of a conservatory training (Oberlin) augmented with traditional folk apprenticeship. Ya ever hear her sing Gaelic? Grand she is at that as well. I think that if operatic power, passion and projection can be funneled through a folk sensibility, we'd all be richer, both classical and folk facets.

Possibly the most profound, hair raising rendition of a folk song that I experienced live was delivered by operatic baritone Ben Luxon, while performing with Bill Crofut as "two Gentlemen Folk," in singing the Irish version of "Johnny I Hardly Knew You" - when he got to the line " you haven't an eye, you haven't a leg..." EVERY SINGLE hair on my body stood on end. He did it singing plain, but with power, no vocal pyrotechnics.

It goes back to the ethos of the singer: what is paramount, the singer or the song?

Joanne in Cleveland ( who wishes some singers came with a control knob to dial down the overdone vibrato)