.... So, teaching, courses, lessons etc become the norm.

I realise that for most of us the romanticised notion of learning "at the feet" of the great musicians as they play in the pub or on the porch is not a practical option but there does seem to be less tendency for the tradition to be passed down in this way these days.

If you ask the more experienced players and singers in the pub for advice these days, they are more likely just to tell to go on a course or get lessons. Maybe that's the correct way, of course?