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.
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'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.
With fellow schoolfriend Stu Luckley they formed a duo called Trimrigg, and played folk music around Tynemouth, Cullercoats and Whitley Bay.
Since the 1980s Fairbairn has performed alongside or with Paul Buckley, Chris Newman, Nick Strutt, Roger Knowles, Michael Chapman, Tony Wilson, Brian Golbey, Alistair Russell, Gordon Tyrall, Hot Pot Belly Band, Witches Bane, Four Horseman, Ray Band, Boxcar Willie, Sons of the Freemen, Scarlet Heights and Aiken's Drum.