I like this thread.

You all might be interested in Dwight Diller's take on this topic. To paraphrase any number of pronouncements I've heard him make on the subject, he insists that the first and most important step in learning to play traditional music is "Listen to the old people." He says that they can be trusted in a way that revivalists cannot. He also feels that we should be very careful when learning from any musician who is trying to make a buck, including, oddly enough, Dwight Diller.