Miranda Sykes, born in 1978 in Spalding, Lincolnshire, is an English folk singer, double-bassist and guitarist. She began playing double bass at age eight. In 1999, Sykes joined the folk-rock band Pressgang as a bass guitarist, touring internationally. She performed with Robb Johnson on his album The Big Wheel (1999) and released three albums as part of a trio with Johnson and Saskia Tomkins. Sykes then joined Firebrand, releasing Lost Lady Found in 2001. In 2004, she began performing with Show of Hands and released her first solo album, Don't Look Down (2004). She collaborated with Martyn Joseph on his album Vegas (2007) and toured as a duo with mandolin player Rex Preston for eight years, releasing albums including Miranda Sykes & Rex Preston (2012). She released further solo albums including Borrowed Places (2017) and Behind the Wall (2018). In 2015, Sykes received an honorary doctorate of music from the University of Plymouth.
