Dolly Curtis and Charlie Whiting

Dolly Curtis played piano and melodeon. Charlie Whiting, born in 1905, was a step dancer who won several prizes for dancing.

Dolly spent much of her early life in the Dennington Bell pub run by her family. They kept a melodeon behind the bar and she would hear legendary local players such as Alf Peachey, Walter Read and Oscar Woods.

In later days Dolly was as likely to play the piano as the melodeon, unless Brian Felgate was there, who would accompany her on piano, along with the late Billy Cox on drums. The three of them made an unforgettable impression at the English Country Music Weekend in Mendlesham in 1984.

Dolly’s repertoire included an interesting array of stepdance tunes (hornpipes) and polkas along with more recent pieces, the favourite of which was the well-known ragtime tune The Entertainer. One of her trademark tunes, which is now very popular, is still known simply as ‘Dennington Bell’.