Shady Grove

Shady Grove began life in 2011, formed by local Shoreham musician Steve Bell. The present line-up consists of Debs Stacey (percussion, vocals), Oliver Clarke (bass), Matt Szul (guitar, vocals), Mervyn Wallis (fiddle, vocals), and Steve Bell (guitar, banjo, vocals). Since their inception, Shady Grove's popularity has steadily grown, in no small part due to their ability to weave in and out of genres whilst retaining a strong sense of togetherness, expertise, and improvisation.

Songwriters Steve and Matt draw inspiration from many sources, and whilst each has their own style, their songs often carry a strong narrative. Steve likes his songs to tell a story and provoke thought and dreams along the lines of Dylan, Rab Noakes, and Dougie Mclean. Matt likes to toy with wordplay, double meaning, and irony within his lyrics. The band fuses elements of country, blues, swing and folk.