Back for his sixth appearance at Beverley Festival, Roy began his singing career in a skiffle group in 1958. For nearly 50 years he has sung in folk clubs, concerts and festivals the length and breadth of England, Scotland and Wales and from Sydney to Vancouver, from Cape Town to Stockholm.

His career has been hailed as representing "the very soul of folk's working class ideals... a triumphal homage to the grass roots folk scene as a radical alternative to the mainstream music industry."
(Colin Irwin, MOJO)

He has been described in the GUARDIAN as being the possessor of one of the finest voices in the folk world and has a large, widespread and very loyal following worldwide.

In the 2000 Honours List, Roy received the MBE for 'services to folk music'. He has returned this award (22/08/06) in protest at the government's foreign policy (see statement on "Front Page")

In 2003, Roy together with Tony Benn were awarded 'Best Live Act' at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, for their hugely successful programme 'Writing on
the Wall.'

Roy has worked with many different people throughout his career and can count many well respected people, from all walks of life, among his enthusiastic supporters:

BILLY BRAGG:
"...as powerful as anything I'd heard by THE CLASH - it was Roy's voice, the strength of it and the compassion in it"

TONY BENN:
"...the greatest socialist folksinger of his generation"

UTAH PHILLIPS:
"I've long wanted to share a stage with him" (Vancouver Folk Music Festival)

MARTIN CARTHY:
"...he is very exciting to play for because he is so strong"

KAREN TWEED:
"... there's so much to be learned from Roy Bailey in the music that we do"

Introducing Roy at his highly successful Royal Albert Hall concert in 1998 CHRIS SMITH, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, described Roy as "one of folk music's finest performers and one of the world's best carriers of the people's message."