Folks is much preferable to the common word ‘guys’ when referring to men and women. It ticks me off when waiters and front desk persons say guys when I am with my wife. “And how are you guys tonite?” “What would you guys like to drink this evening?”
I tell them that my wife is not a guy and they start stuttering an apology. Ignorant idiots!
Another reason the English language needs another word so we can tell the difference between the singular and plural “you”. I like hearing “y’all” down south and in Texas, and “yunz” in PA Dutch country (Pittsburgh is more like “yinz”), but the “youse” of NY/NJ has come to sound low-class.
I hear you. My problem with “folks” is that it made its appearance in the news media right around the time Obama got elected. You’ll notice he uses the word a lot, I guess to sound earthy or something. It’s a clear case of the media aping their hero in my opinion.