POLLY BOLTON and THE MAGIC OF SONG
Harmony workshop at Gleanings Rural Study Centre,
Minsterley, Shropshire, 27th/28th November, 2010
From the Journal of a Fishing Widow, by Sandy Armishaw
Anyone who knows me well will be aware that I’m a real ‘wuss’ when it comes to venturing out of any part of my comfort zone (in this case, Torrington!) and the snow-covered hills of the Shropshire Dales almost scuppered my plans to be part of a great weekend at Polly Bolton’s workshop at the Gleanings, simply because I’m terrified of driving on snow and ice.
Ever since January, when Keith and I toboganned our car down the country lane leading to our house, narrowly missing a deep ditch, (we were meant to be driving UP the lane!) I have nursed an overwhelming fear of newly-fallen snow. It had been a bit of a shock, since the motorways and link road were clear following one of the heaviest snowfalls for decades and we’d just returned from three and a half weeks in the warm and sunny Florida Keys but hey ho, we’ve had a great summer and autumn since then.
Imagine then, the morning of Saturday 27th November, when I awoke to a wintry picture-postcard landscape. I was adamant that I would not drive to Shropshire. In retrospect, it would have been a wise decision as I discovered later on arriving in Minsterley, where the previous night’s snow had laid a virginal carpet of white crystals over the rolling hills and dales. If it hadn’t have been for my best friend and other half’s very generous offer, I would have stayed put snug in Warwickshire but as it was, they volunteered to drive me to the workshop and I’m glad they did.
The motorways were clear, so I was a happy bunny until we approached the snow-clad South Shropshire hills and dales. I experienced a feeling of déjà vu, as our old front-wheel drive Audi launched into a hairy slide down the lane to Gleanings, followed closely behind by Reg in his car. My face was as white as the snow on the hills and I swear my hair was standing upright! Rarely have I had so much excitement!
Happily we made it safely to the bottom of the lane; I was late and in a bit of a flap, but I could hear beautiful singing coming from the cosy log cabin which looked out onto stunning scenery towards the Stiperstones. That, the welcome from Yvonne, and the sight of my friend Chris Howell from the B-G song school, somehow made the eventful journey worthwhile. And then, I heard some of the most amazing vocals ever, those of the wonderful singer/songwriter, Polly Bolton.
I first heard her voice when Chris played to me Polly’s latest cd, ‘The Magic of Song’. On it is a track entitled: ‘My Lagan Love’ which is a real favourite of mine, and one which I’ve been trying to sing, so when I returned from song school at Bridestowe in October, the first thing I did was to check out her website www.pollybolton.co.uk to read her discography, but I discovered much more than that. She was running a two-day Harmony singing workshop on the 27th/28th November, and I immediately booked a place.
The centre is owned and run by John and Yvonne Hart who are the perfect host and hostess with a great deal of experience in the world of music. Because of the treacherous roads, John very kindly ferried three of us in his 4x4 to and from the local pub where we were staying, and they both provided us with a hot, scrumptious home-cooked lunch each day. They also took time out from running their farmstead to join us for dinner at the pub on the Saturday evening. But … they did miss the fun when they left early with some of our friends because … it was Karaoke night at the pub!
Now; I know some people can be a ‘bit sniffy’ about Karaoke, as my newest friend Amy put it, and I, being a shrinking violet, steadfastly refused to step up to the mic’ to support Amy and Audrey as they auditioned for Shropshire’s version of the X-factor. That is until the effects of the red wine and log fire took over and I became distinctly relaxed about the whole thing.
The crowd in the room were local, young and enthusiastic, so when one young woman realised I hadn’t sung, she threw down the gauntlet and I was ‘forced’ to join in. The adorable and dearly departed Beatle, George Harrison’s song sprang to mind – goodness knows why – although I do love India so – ‘My sweet Lord … Hari Krishna … Guru Rama … I was in my element singing the backing vocals, with Amy and Audrey up front, singing the right words! It is said that there is a first time for everything and that is so for having briefly tasted ‘stardom’ albeit in front of a very small audience, I wanted more, so when some of the locals took over and sang: Cher’s: ‘I got you babe,’ our newly-formed group went into action. Amy, Audrey and I ‘strutted our stuff’ singing to each other and dancing as if we were part of the 70’s icons, Pan’s People of ‘Top of the Pops’ fame. Great fun, but we paid a price; it was a late night and our vocal chords where more than a little scratchy the next day; sucking on ‘Voicease’ pastilles, Amy and I hoped Polly wouldn’t notice the husky effects of our misspent evening!
During the course of the two-day Harmony singing workshop, Polly worked her magic time and again by bringing together the voices of people from different walks of life, in harmonies which brought beaming smiles to each person’s face as the evocative sounds resonated in the room and I guess, across the hills of Shropshire. My particular favourite was an African song.
Polly is an immensely talented lady with a great pedigree and I can’t wait to receive her latest cd: 'The Magic of Song' so that I can listen again to her wonderful vocals, particularly on ‘A stor mo Choar’ and ‘My Lagan Love’. ‘Roll on’ her next workshop.
Sandy Armishaw
www.riverreads.co.uk
www.anglingheritage.org
Polly Bolton is regarded as ‘one of the leading exponents of the decorative style of traditional British singing’. She is a singer/songwriter and Voice Practitioner.
Contact Polly for details of her workshops at:
Oak Barn Centre, Clee St. Margaret, Craven Arms, Shropshie SY7 9DT or visit her website at www.pollybolton.co.uk to read more about her. Email: info@oak-barn.co.uk for information.
Check out the courses run by John and Yvonne Hart at the Gleanings Rural Centre for Music, Art and the Natural World. Tel: 01743 891 412 or email Yvonne or John at yj.hart@virgin.net for further information, visit: www.gleanings.co.uk
Photographs by courtesy of Polly Bolton and John & Yvonne Hart.