Roy Bailey (folk singer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Roy Bailey
MBE |
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Roy Bailey at Towersey Festival, 2018
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| Background information | |
| Born | 20 October 1935 London, England |
| Died | 20 November 2018 (aged 83) Sheffield, England |
| Genres | Folk |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Labels | Fuse |
Roy Bailey, who was awarded an MBE, was an English folk singer. He was born on October 20, 1935, and passed away on November 20, 2018. Roy was known for singing songs that shared ideas about fairness and helping everyone, which are part of socialist beliefs.
Colin Irwin from Mojo magazine said that Roy Bailey showed the true spirit of folk music. He saw folk music as a way to share important messages and be different from the big music industry.
Contents
Roy Bailey's Life and Music
Starting His Musical Journey
Roy Bailey began his music career in 1958. He started in a type of band called a skiffle band. Later, he joined a folk music group called the Three City Four. He took the place of another famous singer, Martin Carthy. Roy released his first solo album in 1971.
Singing for All Ages
Roy Bailey often sang songs by American singer-songwriter Si Kahn. He was also very good at singing songs for children. Many of these children's songs were written by his old friend, Leon Rosselson. They even made an album together called Oats & Beans & Kangaroos, which was full of children's songs.
Working with Other Artists
In 1997, Roy worked with Robb Johnson and other musicians on an album called Gentle Men. This album won awards. They re-recorded and released it again in 2013.
In 2003, Roy Bailey and Tony Benn won an award for "Best Live Act" at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. They won for their show called Writing on the Wall, which later became an album. Tony Benn, a well-known politician, called Roy Bailey "the greatest socialist folk singer of his generation."
Honors and Protests
In 2000, Roy Bailey received an award called the MBE. This award is given for special services to folk music.
However, on August 23, 2006, Roy decided to return his MBE award. He did this to show his disagreement with the British government's actions. He was protesting their foreign policy regarding Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.
Later Performances and Legacy
In 2016, Roy Bailey released his first live album. It was called Live at Towersey Festival 2015. This album was recorded without him knowing at the festival. It included special guests like Martin Simpson and Andy Cutting. The album featured songs by famous artists such as Si Kahn, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, John Tams, and Robb Johnson.
Roy had a long history with the Towersey Festival. He first performed there in 1965. His Monday afternoon concerts at the festival were very popular, often drawing about 1000 people.
Roy Bailey was also a Professor of Social Studies at Sheffield Hallam University. He supported several music festivals, including the Towersey Village Festival and Shepley Spring Festival. Roy was the father-in-law of singer and guitarist Martin Simpson. Martin's wife, Kit, is Roy's daughter.
Roy Bailey had heart problems for over 30 years. He passed away on November 20, 2018, in Sheffield. After he died, a special album called Roy Bailey Remembered was released in late 2020. It featured performances from other artists who honored his memory.
Roy Bailey's Albums
Roy Bailey released many albums throughout his career. Here are some of them:
- Smoke and Dust Where the Heart Should Have Been, CBS 1965 (with the Three City Four)
- Oats & Beans & Kangaroos, Fontana Records, 1968 (with Leon Rosselson)
- Roy Bailey, Trailer Records, 1971
- That's Not The Way It's Got To Be, Fuse Records, 1975 (with Leon Rosselson)
- Love, Loneliness & Laundry, Fuse, 1976 (with Leon Rosselson)
- New Bell Wake, Fuse, 1977
- If I Knew Who the Enemy Was, Fuse, 1979 (with Leon Rosselson)
- Hard Times, Fuse, 1982
- Freedom Peacefully, Fuse, 1986
- Leaves From a Tree, Fuse, 1988
- Why Does It Have To Be Me?, Fuse, 1989
- Never Leave A Story Unsung, Fuse, 1991
- What You Do With What You've Got, Fuse, 1992 (a collection of earlier songs)
- Business As Usual, Fuse, 1994
- Rhythm & Reds, Musikfolk, 1994 (as part of Band of Hope)
- New Directions in the Old, Fuse, 1999
- Gentle Men, Irregular Records, 1998 (with Robb Johnson)
- Past Masters, Fuse, 1998
- Coda, Fuse, 2000
- Up the Wooden Hill, Fuse, 2002
- Writing on the Wall, Fuse, 2004 (with Tony Benn)
- Sit Down and Sing, Fuse, 2005
- Below the Radar, Fuse, 2009
- Tomorrow, Fuse, 2010
- Stories EP, Fuse, 2014 (digital release)
- Live at Towersey Festival 2015, Fuse, 2016
- Roy Bailey: Remembered, 2020 (released after his death)
See also
- Political Song Network
