Jim,
I did not say that McTell's song was a folk song. It is a song written by a singer. The songs that you prefer were "written" by somebody at sometime and you are happy to call them folk. If McTell's song shows up at some considerable time in the future what differentiates it? Oh I know he wasn't a downtrodden horny handed son of the soil.

Personally I can't stand the song but I did admire Ralph's guitar playing elsewhere.

I don't know any "Folk" writers, I thought they were all dead. Could you name any of the ones that you refer to who have been paid pittance.