Burl Ives, America's Balladeer

I'm making this page about Burl Ives, America's Balladeer because I think Burl Ives is one of the most overlooked artists in music history. Burl Ives' voice is perfect for the folk ballads which he loved to sing and sang throughout the decades of the the 30's and 40's and into the 50's. Of course, you know by now, if you know me, that I'm especially partial to folk music and I especially like folk groups, but I would just as soon hear Burl Ives singing solo as to hear a group like Peter Paul and Mary, or The Kingston Trio, although all have the great sound which characterizes folk music.
Between solo folk artists, I would rather hear Burl Ives any day than Pete Seeger or Woody Guthrie. Don't ask me to define it, I just feel that Burl Ives' voice is more suited somehow to the folk genre. Later, and ironically during the folk revival of the 60's Burl Ives turned to country music, probably due to his testimony before the house un-American activities committee, which testimony Pete Seeger referred to as a betrayal of himself and other folksingers and of the cause of freedom. (For more click the Wikipedia link below). but I still say Burl Ives' strong suit is folk music.