Artist Details
Artist: Stick Shift Email: Website: Description: Stick Shift is an exciting dance band that, like all the best overnight sensations, evolved over several years. Nigel & Robbie had played together for a long time in various dance bands and in many a tunes session. Holly's arrival on fiddle & piano turned out to be the catalyst that fused with Nigel & Robbie's pyrotechnical fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar and bass playing of Scottish, Irish and American tunes to produce a driving, melodic sound underpinned by Holly's acclaimed, rock-solid piano. Holly, Nigel and Robbie share not only a wide range of musical influences & experiences but also an obvious delight in playing together. With Stick Shift driving the dancing, the funky rhythms and infectious melodies of American contra music combine to give both dancers & listeners an exhilarating time -- you'll enjoy the drive! Holly Norton trained as a pianist & violinist in her native Texas, where she developed a love for American old-time & bluegrass fiddle music. Since moving to the UK, Holly has added Scottish, Irish and Scandinavian traditional music to her repertoire. Holly was a founding member of the contradance bands Cruise Control and Stick Shift, and has pounded her keyboard at dances, workshops and festivals all over England. Holly also spent several years as an American line-dance caller, instructor and performer, appearing on television and at festivals throughout the UK & Europe. Robbie Thomas was a founding member of the seminal Scottish folk band Silly Wizard. For the past 20 years he has concentrated on playing for dancing, including spells with Bob Tracey and Pippa Sandford's Contraflow, Appalachian Cloggers Hot Taps and e-ceilidh rockers Stömp. Playing for contra dancing allows Robbie to indulge all his musical influences and instruments - including the banjo. A founding member of both Cruise Control and Stick Shift, Robbie is fond of old guitars, mandolins and banjos. Nigel Walker began playing fiddle for traditional dance around 1977 with Brackley Morris, then switched his talents to rock/funk bass playing between 1983 & 1991. He returned to fiddling in 1990, and has since played for dances and in pubs & clubs with Martin Furey, Pat Ludford, Contraflow and now, as the final founding member of Stick Shift. Nigel enjoys playing all styles of dance music, as well as Bluegrass, Irish and Scottish traditional tunes.

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