Mansfield singer performs uplifting song to beat lockdown blues

Singer Sallie Dowle has performed “Dark Days” to the delight of people in New Houghton, after writing and recording the track in her own home-studio.

Sallie, now 66, has been playing music since she was 18 and was inspired to pick up her guitar after seeing how people in the village were keeping their spirits up.

“I’ve always written songs and I thought about the situation we’re in," she told The Chad. “It’s gone down really well.

“I played drums, bass and guitar – it took me a while because I'm not a drummer, but I kept the time.”

After the song got a positive response she is now thinking about re-recording “Dark Days" and releasing it as a charity single to raise money for the NHS.

“I am going to start putting it online – the words are quite apt," she added.

She started playing folk music at the age of 18 as a waitress in Newquay and was soon working as an entertainer in the clubs of Jersey.

Sallie has travelled all over Europe, including a stint in an all-girl rock band called Wicked Lady in Holland, and has recorded in London and Berlin.

Sallie also played in a Nottingham rock band called Sallie and the Spiders and as part of a comedy trio called The Rockettes.

Neighbour Tina Sambou said : “Sallie is a legend in our village!”

You can hear the track here.