Fay Hield’s earthy approach to singing and her haunting and powerful delivery uniquely appeals to both older and younger audiences. It wasn’t long before Topic Records, Europe’s oldest and most respected Independent Record Label, approached her with a view to signing her as their first new artist in 20 years.

Fay was raised in the singing community of the West Yorkshire Pennines. A childhood as much influenced by the  bare essentials of the landscape surrounding her home of Oakworth as it was by the lively, warm music scene around the Famous Bacca Pipes Folk Club in Keighley. Traditional music and song has been a constant part of Fay’s life.

Her first professional appearances were as a duo with the distinctive and innovative Damien Barber, now front man of the Award winning Demon Barbers. The partnership also led to the formation of the Three’s Company arts organisation and the launching of the Haworth Arts Festival, which revitalized and encouraged the artistic leanings of a famous community.

In 2001 Fay moved to study on Newcastle University’s Folk and Traditional Music Degree. Her love of community singing lead her to co-form the female a cappella group, The Witches Of Elswick, who blazed a trail of strong harmonies around the country. Amongst many radio appearances was an invitation to appear on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and they recorded two acclaimed CDs – Out Of Bed (Fellside) and Hell’s Belles (Selwyn Music).

In 2005 Fay moved to Sheffield to spend four years researching her PhD thesis ‘English Folk Singing and the Construction of Community’ at The University of Sheffield, and having two children with partner Jon Boden. She returned to public performance in occasional appearances with Jon and started the now nationally recognised folk club, Royal Traditions, in their local pub. New musical connections encouraged her to develop a solo repertoire with support from Rob Harbron (The English Acoustic Collective) and Sam Sweeney (Bellowhead).

In 2009, looking for a hometown gig for her first tour, Fay and Jon approached fellow residents Kit Bailey and Martin Simpson with the idea of promoting an innovative club in Sheffield City Centre. Along with Lindsay Smith, they developed a nationally acclaimed “Four Hour Festival” at Sheffield’s oldest music venue, The Boardwalk, under the collective name, Bright Phoebus, which still promotes music in the city.

Fay’s debut solo tour quickly won an enthusiastic audience and huge word of mouth popularity throughout every level of the national folk scene.

Her first outing at Oxford Festival in 2009 was Acoustic Magazine’s Gig of the Month:
Her strong voice, with soft, comforting northern tones, delivered songs from the length and breadth of the country…  Contained within a festival bursting at the seams with talent, this performance really stood out as one of the highlights.

Properganda online describe the London show from her recent Looking Glass tour:
Sam on fiddles and Rob on concertina and fiddle are both highly accomplished, but seem to knit in the close confines of the stage to provide an almost telepathic backing over which Fay’s superb voice soars.
Fay’s debut solo CD - Looking Glass, was released in September 2010 on Topic Records, to a fanfare of music media praise.

 ‘an uncompromising album of old-fashioned folk values...a real singer… in an age of honey throated whimpering’ fRoots

 'The album is brilliant, and the best thing Topic has released in years!' Mike Harding BBC Radio 2
 ‘Unadorned – and quite exquisite…Hield is a rare talent’ Uncut

Since the release of ‘Looking Glass’, Fay has been in huge demand as a solo performer and as a collaborator. She has made guest appearances on guitar-supremo, Martin Simpson’s new CD “Purpose & Grace”, alongside June Tabor, Richard Thompson and Dick Gaughan and has also guested on folk scene favorites, Spiers&Boden’s new CD The Works.
 
Her new, as yet untitled CD, is due to be released in May 2012 and she has an impressive new band line up, with Jon Boden and Andy Cutting joining Sam and Rob as Fay Hield & The Hurricane Party, a band that will no doubt do for English folk music what Crooked Stile did for American Bluegrass 
 
Always a power house of ideas and creativity, the future is bright and there is no doubt that Fay is solidifying her position as a major figure on the acoustic music scene. With her new band of some of the best musicians in the UK, 2012 will surely see her breaking new ground and delighting new audiences both at home and abroad.