GSS is right - before the advent of radio, the only 'influences' the old singers would have had were other singers in the area. Of course, if you listen to Grainger's recordings from the various singers from Brigg, you'll find that Joseph Taylor was out on his own stylistically, which shows that individual personality and technical flair have a large part to play too.

Any modern singer, unless they grew up in a cave, will have been surrounded from birth by all kinds of musical styles, particularly pop music which, since the fifties, has usually adopted an American accent. I've met people from outside the folk world who find it hard to sing in any other kind of accent.

"Its a question that only a modern 'folkie' would ask."

Not just folkies, Paul. Singers from all fields are often acutely aware of their role models and influences. The difference is between singing unselfconsciously to pass the time - as your grandmother did - and putting on a performance. Not that some traditional singers weren't putting on performances.

"Just sing the song" is fine, but I don't see any harm in considering how your various influences might affect the way you sing. We have this debate here from time to time about the value for modern performers in listening to 'source singers', the point of which - as far as I'm concerned - is not to go around trying to sound like Sam Larner, but to add some extra colours to your palette. Tim Eriksen sings like a rock musician, but he sounds the way he does because he listened a lot to Appalachian singers too.