Hi Tim,
I've always known about his 'Scots' affectation, and tackled him about it once.
His family moved to England shortly before he was born, his mother was from Aucherarder. He said he was brought up in a Scots household surrounded by Scot singers, and it was this repertoire that first attracted him to songs and ballads.
I knew both his parents sang, his mother Betsy sang for me on numerous occasions, and I was once told by Salford historian Eddie Frow, his father's contemporary and friend that William was forever singing "queer old Scots songs". I suspect that many of these were incomplete and he re-built them over the years
According to Douglas Bridson (Prospero and Ariel - the rise and fall of radio), in 1931 he had been found by Kenneth Adam:
"busking for pennies by the Manchester theatres and cinemas. The songs he sang were unusual, Scots songs, Gaelic songs he had learned from his mother, border ballads and folk songs".
He said he adopted his Scots persona to "make him more comfortable in his chosen repertoire" - unnecessary, but, as far as I'm concerned, understandable.
In spite of his apparent self confidence, he could be remarkably uncomfortable about some things.
Sorry - didn't mean to knee-jerk.
"I still think he was aloof"
He could be occasionally when he was out of his comfort zone, I never found him so, but I could be as shy as he was.
You should have seen him slightly drunk - still got the lipstick marks on my collar!!
Jim Carroll