"I think good English folk singers have an earthy style"tyle vary form area to area, and certainly from different social groups
The tendency seems to be that the Traditional singers use speaking tones and sing the words as near as they would speak them - no gaps, no breaking up where possible
Very different to the gappy, hiccoughy singing of some revival singers - and no interminable accompaniment breaks TBTG
The old crowd may have been past their peak but there were very few that couldn't teach the youngsters a few things   
Jim