The Madding Crowd gathered in 1996 Devon and we have been playing festivals, arts centres, pubs and venues around the Westcountry ever since. We mainly use our voices, strings and sticks (and a few boxes joined with electrical spaghetti known as "gear") to create what has been described as indie-folk and acoustic-pop.
We have had the privelage to support and be able to name-drop many known artists including Seth Lakeman, Al Stewart, Kathryn Tickell, Martin Carthy, Colin Blunstone, Savoy Brown, Julie Felix, Roy Harper and Roy Wood.

We haven't always been acoustic guitar wielding soldiers of harmony, read on below for our history and a low-down of the other bands we have been in:

August 1989

A jam band containing Bob Cooke, Graham Crocker, Anthony Power, James Crocker (then 14 on lead guitar) and Hannah Crocker (then 12 on backing vocals) performs at Bridestowe Ram Roast for an evening dance.

December 1989

Anthony Power (Phil's brother) organises a gig in Bude, Cornwall for which he puts together a blues/rock/soul band which he calls Willy and the Poor Boys. The band comprises himself on bass, Bob Cooke, Graham Crocker and James Crocker on guitars, Jane Hawkins on vocals and Bill Stewart on drums.

May 1990

Bill Stewart leaves and is replaced on drums by Paul Collins who, like Jane, had played in previous bands with Anthony and Phil Power. The band play regularly for 3 years around the South West.

August 1993

Willy and the Poor Boys tour up the south coast of England. Bob Cooke and Anthony Power are unable to make it because of work commitments and are replaced for the tour by by Hannah Crocker on bass and vocals and Phil Power on guitar and vocals.

September 1993

James leaves to study music at Salford University so Willy and the Poor Boys play their final gig at a packed Charter Hall in Okehampton. They are supported by Hannah and Phil who have been performing for a while as a folk duo, The Rain People playing mostly original material.

October 1993

Phil and Paul Collins join Neil Munton (lead guitar) and Heath Weymouth (bass) to form punk-influenced The Adulterats.

April 1994

Heath Weymouth is replaced by Hannah and Graham Crocker, Neil switches to bass and the band changes direction to become folk-rockers The Coach of Bones. They play regularly throughout the South West.

December 1995

The Coach of Bones play their last gig at the Mucky Duck in Lydford when Hannah and Phil leave to travel - ending up in India via Italy, Turkey and Israel.

March 1996

Hannah and Phil return and, on their first night back, make plans to form an acoustic trio with Graham. They call themselves The Madding Crowd.

January 1997

After discovering another band locally with the same name, they change it to Silver Street - a street in Lydford where Hannah and Phil share a house with Phil's brother Anthony. One gig later, they are persuaded to change it to Hannah and the Madding Crowd, although Hannah is reluctant.

February 1997

Hannah and the Madding Crowd play support for Martin Carthy at the Wharf in Tavistock - the first of many support gigs for established artists. Later they will provide support at various locations for Katheryn Tickell, Al Stewart, Julie Felix, Colin Blunstone, the Savoy Brown Blues Band, Isla St Clair and Roy Harper.

August 1997

Hannah and Phil get married. At the evening party they play a set with Graham before Willy and the Poor Boys play a reunion gig for the first time in nearly 4 years.

September 1997

Colin Boyd joins the band on bass after recording 'That Wednesday Feeling' - an album of the band's own material - at his Gunnislake studio.

December 1998

Hannah and Phil travel again to India returning in March 1999. While they're away, Graham and his son James record an album of instrumental tracks, mostly originals, called 'As It Happens'. It leads to an American guitar magazine nominating them as one of their undiscovered artists of the month. James is now living back in Devon having been recruited by Warner-signed band Equation as lead guitarist.

June 1999

Bick C joins the band on percussion making it now a 5-piece.

March 2000

Hannah, Phil and Graham join with Neil Munton and Paul Collins for a Coach of Bones reunion set at Graham and his wife Jenny's 50th birthday party.

May 2000

Colin leaves the band because of other commitments resulting in the current 4-piece.

June 2000

Hannah and the Madding Crowd are asked at the last minute to play at Glastonbury on one of the Greenpeace stages.

July 2000

An extended EP '6 from 4' is put together for sale at the Okehampton Arts Festival. Bizarrely, it contains 7 tracks!

December 2001

After months of writing and recording, the band releases an album of original songs called The Release. With immaculate timing, the gig organised to launch the CD is the last to be performed by the band for many months because of Hannah's now advanced pregnancy!

February 2002

Hannah and Phil have a son, Rowan. One consequence of this is that the band now contains a grandfather! Another is that the band takes a rest from gigging.

July 2002

After an 8-month lay-off, the band's first return gig is as support for Roy Wood.

October 2003

Jeff Sleeman takes over as manager.

August 2004

James leaves the UK to live in California with his girlfriend Kelly who he met while touring there with his band Equation. The farewell party in the family garden turns into a mini festival with five bands playing. Hannah and the Madding Crowd open the evening, followed by Equation. Later, Willy and the Poor Boys play another reunion gig - their first since Hannah and Phil's wedding seven years previously.

August 2005

Hannah and Phil have another son, Josh. He is born just one week after performing at the Sidmouth Folk Festival which was close to being the most memorable gig to date. This prompts another layoff from playing live and turns out to be the last gig with BickC on percussion who is in much demand with various other bands.

February 2006

Phil's brother Anthony joins on bass. He had previously formed Willy and the Poor Boys that included Graham as a founder member.

January 2007

A 4-track CD 'addictionary' is released at a special event at Morwellham Quay.

February 2007

Hannah is dropped from Hannah and the Madding Crowd! In name only though. She had never been keen on being singled out and the name change was at her insistence. As ever, timing is immaculate having the previous month released a CD under the old name!

December 2007

The band returns to being a 5-piece with the addition of Bob Pilbeam on drums. Bob had previously played alongside Anthony in soul band Souled Out.

August 2008

The band plays a number of festivals over the summer climaxing with a spot at the prestigious Retrofest near Glasgow - a round trip of nearly 1000 miles for a 30 minute set!

May 2009

New EP "A bagful of kisses" is released.