In my early years of learning songs, I would learn them by ear, off of records and tapes, without access to the written lyrics (this being pre-Internet days). I found it really tough NOT to sing with the British or Irish accents of the performers I was listening so intently to. Probably some sort of aural-memory brain connection thing. It took an effort of concentration to sing a song I learned from a Louis Killen record in an American (my native) accent. So in those days I wasn't trying to sound like a Geordie, I couldn't help it.

Jerry