roy bailey

Described in The Guardian as possesing one of the finest voices in the folk world, Roy Bailey has a large, widespread and very loyal following worldwide.

Roy began his singing career in a skiffle group in 1958. For 50 years he has sung in folk clubs, concerts and festivals the length and breadth of England, Scotland and Wales and from Sydney to Vancouver, from Cape Town to Stockholm.  His career has been hailed as representing "the very soul of folk's working class ideals... a triumphal homage to the grass roots folk scene as a radical alternative to the mainstream music industry." (Colin Irwin, MOJO) 

In the 2000 Honours List, Roy received the MBE for 'services to folk music'. In August 2006 he returned this award in protest at the government's foreign policy.

In 2003, Roy together with Tony Benn were awarded 'Best Live Act' at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, for the hugely successful programme 'Writing on the Wall.'

Roy has worked with many different people throughout his career and can count many respected people, from all walks of life, among his enthusiastic supporters.

"...as powerful as anything I'd heard by THE CLASH - it was Roy's voice, the strength of it and the compassion in it." Billy Bragg

"...the greatest socialist folksinger of his generation.” Tony Benn

In 1998 Chris Smith, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, described Roy as "one of folk music's finest performers and one of the world's best carriers of the people's message."