Ian 'Walter' Fairbairn

Ian 'Walter' Fairbairn (born 28 August 1953) is an English folk musician, who was raised in the North East of England. He developed his musical talent whilst still at school, inspired by his contemporaries Dave Richardson (The Boys of the Lough) and the concertina player Alistair Anderson. Fairbairn was soon singing and playing in local groups such as Trimrigg, before joining Hedgehog Pie, and then the Lindisfarne spin-off band Jack the Lad.

He has toured extensively in the UK and Europe, playing with a wide variety of bands and musicians. His musical career has included performances at Cambridge, Edinburgh and Reading Festivals, as well as appearances on the Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC Radio 1 In Concert and Folk on Two.

Fairbairn joined Aiken's Drum in the late 1980s as a stand-in, and has been the longest-serving member. He continues to play with other bands and has appeared on many recordings, mainly in the folk arena. Fairbairn has been a long term provider of fiddle parts for various Guy Manning albums, and has also appeared as part of the latter's live line-up. He has most recently been playing with The Mighty Doonans, a spin-off of the highly successful Doonan Family Band.

Fairbairn learned to play guitar by utilising his brother's instrument. At Wallsend Grammar School, he joined the school's Folk Song Society, which included Dave Richardson (later of The Boys of the Lough) and Alistair Anderson. Fairbairn's first public performance was playing a 5 string banjo alongside Dave Richardson's younger brother, Tich, at a church fete in Howdon-on-Tyne.

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