Jim

Interesting to note the use of the word 'musicianer' to name an instrument mender.

Because many African Americans used the term to refer to a musician.

This usage (musician) originates in Britain and occurs, for example, in a 19th century novel by George Eliot called Silas Marner. The word derives from the French.

I know that songs with 'German' in can be bawdy: this is in either Lloyd or Gammon or even both.

There has not been a 'non-literate' Britain for a very, very long time. Somebody on this thread recently gave a good example of how somebody non-literate might learn songs from somebody literate.