Caroline Radcliffe

When I was a child, I always wanted to sing in a band, preferably an all-girl band called “The Beach Girls”. As a young adult, I did get my wish of singing in a band. After five years of songwriting, recording, touring the country in dodgy transits, 80s crimes against hair and fashion, etc, with a lot of life experience but not a great deal of success, we called it a day.

I then had a variety of jobs: cleaner, futon seller, window dresser, and later teacher of English as a second language, all the while continuing to perform in bands, most notably Bait, the Lilac Time’s big brother.

Since 1995 I have been happily settled in Frome. Although initially known as motheroftwins, I am now better known as singinglady. I began teaching singing and musicianship in schools, based on the Kodaly technique. I love a bit of doh-re-mi. And those are all valid scrabble words too.

Currently I run three choirs: Jackdaws Songbirds in Frome, Shreen Harmony in Mere, and Sounding It Out in Trowbridge. I also lead two singing groups for adults living with dementia, in Bradford-on-Avon and Westbury, and I sing with children in Sutton Veny primary school.

I love discovering songs and writing arrangements to suit each group, and then hearing how the singers bring a song to life.

I know I should really have a hobby away from music, but I am a useless gardener. In my spare time, I’m a singer and songwriter with local band Three Corners, and I also sing with the Terry Hill big band.

I am forever indebted to Mannie Burn, Maureen Lehane-Wishart, Rasullah Clarke, and Fay Caley for showing me the way.