The point in respect of Walter Pardon giving different information at different times is that working with tradition bearers is not an unproblematic activity. It isn't intended to be a critisism of Pardon or those enthusiasts who met him and interviewed him.

I find some of his other songs are more enjoyable.

But here, once again, Roud's book is invaluable, with its (or rather Bishop's) discussion of differing aesthetic values.

Personally, at present, I feel more like parodying Jim Carroll's questions rather than responding to them.

"How do you justify your claim that an untalented dauber like da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa?"

But, as will be clear, parody has never been my strong point, so here instead is a link to a page on 'begging the question'.

http://www.txstate.edu/philosophy/resources/fallacy-definitions/Begging-the-Question.html

And an example of question begging from this thread:

"You have never explained how bad poets could possibly have made so many good songs"