Crow Sister wrote
Or maybe Sam has Scottish ancestry or something?

I wrote an article on Sam for fRoots and in the interview, Sam told me that his background was Eastern European Jewish.

Crow Sister wrote
So if I'm right, Sam is English and Stanley is Scottish?
Is there any err cultural confusion in this?

Well, there certainly could be if it was not done properly. Another time when Sam stayed at our house, Stanley was also there and I was able to witness a lesson and the intensity of the learning process that goes on as part of this apprenticeship. If you hear Sam sing a song that he has learned from Stanley, there is no attempt on Sam's part to adopt a false Scottish accent, but you can still hear the minutae of the decorations and the emotional intersity that he has learned from his great master.

When Sam sings one of Stanley's songs, there is no doubt that
a] the song is being sung in Sam's voice and
b] The source of the song is Stanley.
And to my mind, that is the way it should be.

I think that Crow Sister makes an interesting point about "cultural confusion" and it makes me think of another music and ask the following questions:-

Who are amongst the finest revival performers of Old Timey/Appalachian music and song?
Well, amongst them must be Bruce Molsky, Tom Paley, Sara Grey, John Cohen and Mike Seeger.

And what is the background of these five?
All New York/New England Jewish of Eastern European origins.

There might be a good study for an ethnomusicologist there - unless it has already been done!