AlBrown
I am from the northeastern United States of America, and play in local sessions. I am in the "grandpa" phase of my earthly existence. I have been playing music off and on all my life--trumpet, harmonica, guitar, church choir, solo singing, tin whistle, and most recently B/C accordion--jack of all trades, master of none. I have been involved in sessions since the late 1990s, mostly playing guitar accompaniment. My wife plays fiddle and sings like an angel, and we are in a band together. Although she has more musical talent than I do, she is less intense about the musical scene than I am, and doesn't enjoy hanging around in pubs. I dearly love music, and listening to it and making it is an important part of my life.
A disclaimer on the advice or information I put on this site: While I have accumulated a lot of musical knowledge over the years, it has all been in drips and drabs, with little formal instruction. My playing is solid, if you are being generous, and mediocre, if you are not. My guitar strumming is fairly rudimentary, and I spend most of my time in the first position. I am more of a backup singer than soloist. The stock of tunes I have mastered probably numbers around a hundred, scattered across the other instruments I play (whistle, accordion and harmonica). It can take me weeks to learn a new tune. So if you want advice from a flashy and talented musician, look elsewhere. I will say, though, that what advice and information I give will be as sound as it can be, and I will qualify anything I am not sure of.
I am a firm believer in the fact that traditional music is the people's music (that's why they call it folk music), and it is all about participation--we should be welcoming and encouraging to all (although also not be afraid to politely encourage beginners toward listening and lessons, and drunken singers toward a cup of coffee).
I play a Martin 000M guitar (standard tuned), a plain old wood-fipple unpainted Clarke whistle, Hohner Special 20 harmonicas, and a Saltarelle B/C Irish Bouebe accordion (swing tuned). (Note: In the interest of full disclosure, I have no financial interest in any of the instrument companies listed above, and do not receive any financial renumeration for playing them!)
Tunes in AlBrown's tunebook: 76