I first saw Buntline Special in 1991, a few years after they were formed in north Kent. The band was fronted by George Flett who has been playing since he was in the army in the 1970s. After moving to the South East in the early 1980s he formed a middle of the road band, Double Top and when they folded he formed.
Cathy’s Clowns, another MOR band. Buntline Special was his first all Country band. The original line-up included 16 year old Sarah Lucy Dole joining George on lead vocals. This was Sarah’s first band and it was quickly apparent that she had the ability and enthusiasm to become a top Country singer. She would later be described by Alan Cackett, editor of Maverick magazine, as having ‘one of the finest Americana voices this country has heard in a long time’. Sarah was born in Cheltenham in Gloucestershire and, in her early years, singing (since the age of three) and songwriting (since the age of 10) played a very important part in her life, this passion being undoubtedly influenced by her father’s love of Country & Western music.
Sarah stayed with Buntline for about eight years but she had grand ambitions to pursue a career in Country music. She was replaced by another fine female singer, Cathy Payne, the former lead singer with Cathy’s Clowns. Cathy’s style was less contemporary than that of Sarah and at times she reminded me of Brenda Lee. Sadly, Cathy’s time with Buntline was short-lived and within a year she left the band to run a pub with her husband and Buntline became a quartet fronted by George.
I am pleased to say that after more than 35 years Buntline Special are still on the road and while many Country bands have devolved into duos or soloists, Buntline are still a four-piece band. The current line-up is George Flett (lead guitar and lead vocals), Arty Jones (bass guitar and lead vocals) – Artry is a veteran of many bands including Honky Tonk Cowboys, Denny Dennis Band and his own band, Nightwing, Chris Senner (pedal steel guitar and lead guitar) – Chris previously spent 10 years with Roger Humphries & Bite The Bullet and later DogGone – and Chris Hussy (drums). A live drummer is a rare breed these days. Chris played with enthusiasm and is a great asset to the band. Like many bands, Buntline stick to traditional Country favourites which still prove so popular at many clubs.
Buntline Special came off the road in 2025. Chris Senna and Chris Hussy now play with other bands. Their original lead singer Sarah Lucy Dole is still working under the stage name Starry Ray and also works in a duo with her daughter Chloe King. In 2024 Sarah completed a Masters Degree in Record Production and in 2025 she was nominated in the 11th Josie Music Awards 2025 held at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in November 2025. The nominations were for Vocalist of the Year – Country Female and original song for Say Goodbye co-written with her daughter Chloe King. The Josie Music Awards are for independent music in all forms and genres and have been presented annually since 2015.
Research by Nick Catford.