Stick Shift Contradance Band Members' Biographies

Stick Shift is an exciting dance band that, like all the best overnight sensations, evolved over several years. Nigel and Robbie had played together for a long time in various dance bands and in many a tunes session. Holly's arrival on fiddle and piano turned out to be the catalyst that fused with Nigel and Robbie's pyrotechnical fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar and bass playing of Scottish, Irish and American tunes to produce a driving, melodic sound underpinned by Holly's acclaimed, rock-solid piano.

Holly, Nigel and Robbie share not only a wide range of musical influences and experiences but also an obvious delight in playing together. With Stick Shift driving the dancing, the funky rhythms and infectious melodies of American contra music combine to give both dancers and listeners an exhilarating time -- you'll enjoy the drive!

Holly Norton
Piano, Fiddle, Nyckelharpa, Hardanger Fiddle
Texas, USA

Robbie Thomas
Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo, Bouzouki, Cittern
Glasgow, Scotland

Nigel Walker
Fiddle, Bass
Oxfordshire, England

Holly trained as a pianist and violinist in her native Texas, where she developed a love for American old-time and bluegrass fiddle music. Since moving to the UK, Holly has added Scottish, Irish and Scandinavian traditional music to her repertoire. Holly was a founding member of the contradance bands Cruise Control and Stick Shift, and has pounded her keyboard at dances, workshops and festivals all over England. Holly also spent several years as an American line-dance caller, instructor and performer, appearing on television and at festivals throughout the UK and Europe. Professionally, Holly organises international business conferences, primarily in the sports industry.

Holly plays Technics P30 and Yamaha P80 electronic pianos, French fiddles from 1750 and 1875 (or thereabouts), a Tim Phillips octave violin, a Skyingbow S1 electric violin, a Swedish nyckelharpa, a 1989 Hardanger fiddle by Tormod Syvertsen and a XB2 Hammond organ.

Robbie was a founding member of the seminal Scottish folk band Silly Wizard. For the past 15 years he has concentrated on playing for dancing, including spells with Bob Tracey and Pippa Sandford's Contraflow, Appalachian Cloggers Hot Taps and e-ceilidh rockers Stömp. Playing for contra dancing allows Robbie to indulge all his musical influences and instruments - including the banjo. A founding member of both Cruise Control and Stick Shift, Robbie is fond of old guitars, mandolins and banjos. When he isn’t trawling the web looking for yet another old banjo, Robbie spends his time as the Managing Director of a high-end UK mixing console manufacturer and is one half of Harbourtown Records.

Robbie plays Atkin, Collings, Guild, Gurian, Martin, Schoenberg and Wingert guitars; Gibson and Vanden mandolins; Gibson and Weber mandolas; Sobell and Fletcher Brock citterns; Dreizehinter and Pendennis bouzoukis and Vega and Stacey banjos.

Nigel began playing fiddle for traditional dance around 1977 with Brackley Morris, then switched his talents to rock/funk bass playing between 1983 and 1991. He returned to fiddling in 1990, and has since played for dances and in pubs and clubs with Martin Furey, Pat Ludford, Contraflow and now Stick Shift. Nigel enjoys playing all styles of dance music, as well as Bluegrass, Irish and Scottish traditional tunes. During the day he is a teacher, specialising in music technology, recording and DJ'ing.

Nigel plays a 1989 Philip Walters fiddle, a Zeta Strados electric violin and a Steinberger-style Hohner bass.


Stick Shift is an exciting dance band that, like all the best overnight sensations, evolved over several years. Nigel and Robbie had played together for a long time in various dance bands and in many a tunes session. Holly's arrival on fiddle and piano turned out to be the catalyst that fused with Nigel and Robbie's pyrotechnical fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar and bass playing of Scottish, Irish and American tunes to produce a driving, melodic sound underpinned by Holly's acclaimed, rock-solid piano. Holly, Nigel and Robbie share not only a wide range of musical influences and experiences but also an obvious delight in playing together. With Stick Shift driving the dancing, the funky rhythms and infectious melodies of American contra music combine to give both dancers and listeners an exhilarating time -- you'll enjoy the drive!


Holly Norton Piano, Fiddle, Nyckelharpa, Hardanger Fiddle Texas, USA	Robbie Thomas Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo, Bouzouki, Cittern Glasgow, Scotland	Nigel Walker Fiddle, Bass Oxfordshire, England
Holly trained as a pianist and violinist in her native Texas, where she developed a love for American old-time and bluegrass fiddle music. Since moving to the UK, Holly has added Scottish, Irish and Scandinavian traditional music to her repertoire. Holly was a founding member of the contradance bands Cruise Control and Stick Shift, and has pounded her keyboard at dances, workshops and festivals all over England. Holly also spent several years as an American line-dance caller, instructor and performer, appearing on television and at festivals throughout the UK and Europe. Professionally, Holly organises international business conferences, primarily in the sports industry. Holly plays Technics P30 and Yamaha P80 electronic pianos, French fiddles from 1750 and 1875 (or thereabouts), a Tim Phillips octave violin, a Skyingbow S1 electric violin, a Swedish nyckelharpa, a 1989 Hardanger fiddle by Tormod Syvertsen and a XB2 Hammond organ.	Robbie was a founding member of the seminal Scottish folk band Silly Wizard. For the past 15 years he has concentrated on playing for dancing, including spells with Bob Tracey and Pippa Sandford's Contraflow, Appalachian Cloggers Hot Taps and e-ceilidh rockers Stömp. Playing for contra dancing allows Robbie to indulge all his musical influences and instruments - including the banjo. A founding member of both Cruise Control and Stick Shift, Robbie is fond of old guitars, mandolins and banjos. When he isn’t trawling the web looking for yet another old banjo, Robbie spends his time as the Managing Director of a high-end UK mixing console manufacturer and is one half of Harbourtown Records. Robbie plays Atkin, Collings, Guild, Gurian, Martin, Schoenberg and Wingert guitars; Gibson and Vanden mandolins; Gibson and Weber mandolas; Sobell and Fletcher Brock citterns; Dreizehinter and Pendennis bouzoukis and Vega and Stacey banjos.	Nigel began playing fiddle for traditional dance around 1977 with Brackley Morris, then switched his talents to rock/funk bass playing between 1983 and 1991. He returned to fiddling in 1990, and has since played for dances and in pubs and clubs with Martin Furey, Pat Ludford, Contraflow and now Stick Shift. Nigel enjoys playing all styles of dance music, as well as Bluegrass, Irish and Scottish traditional tunes. During the day he is a teacher, specialising in music technology, recording and DJ'ing. Nigel plays a 1989 Philip Walters fiddle, a Zeta Strados electric violin and a Steinberger-style Hohner bass.