Polly Bolton

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Polly Bolton is recognised as one of the leading exponents of the decorative style of traditional British singing. She began singing professionally in 1970 in an acoustic folk-rock band, Dando Shaft. In the 1970's she worked in soul and folk bands both in the States and Britain, including Bert Jansch's Conundrum. In 1980 she left the music business to live and work on an organic smallholding in South Shropshire, occasionally gigging with quitarist Kev Dempsey. In 1985, Polly was persuaded out of hiding by Ashley Hutchings, to sing on his album, "By Gloucester Docks l sat down and wept". She also sang and recorded with the Albion Dance Band. Ashley produced her first solo album "No Going Back" in 1987. Polly has been much in demand as a guest solo singer working with Alan Stival on "The Mists of Avalon" and has sung on several Show of Hands albums and appeared at the sell-out 10 year anniversary gig at the Albert Hall in April 2001. She has also sung with Steve Knightly on his solo album, "Track of Words".

In 1989 Polly began working with two Shropshire based musicians, John Shepherd, of the Albion Band and Steve Dunachie, ex-professor of the Guildhall School of Music. They toured and recorded for 10 years, producing some of the finest albums in the traditional music genre. Their last album, "Loveliest of Trees" was a series of songs settings from "A Shropshire Lad" by A.E. Housman, featuring readings by the late Nigel Hawthorne.
Polly has recorded two jazz improvised albums with the legendary avant garde jazz saxophonist, Paul Dummall, the latest, "A Walk on the Beach", also features the amazing Bulgarian singer, Kalinka Vulcheva, with whom Polly loves to work. Paul and Polly occasionally appear at live jazz venues such as Keith Tippett's Live Music Club in Bristol.

Polly is also recording a long awaited album with Kevin Dempsey.

Polly has written and arranged a capella songs for the Pentabus Theatre Company, Ludlow Youth Theatre and for her community choir, Larks. She is a member of the Natural Voice Practitioners Network and The Centre for Performance Research.

Polly now spends her time growing fruit and vegetables in her forest garden and running a Workshop Centre, OAK BARN WORKSHOP CENTRE, near Ludlow in Shropshire, from where she runs singing workshops and singing camps. Polly sings in an a cappella group called The Polisumi Sisters and continues to record with her favourite musicians including Kev Dempsey, Paul Dunmall, Kalinka Vulcheva and American composer and arranger, Jennifer Cutting.

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