Heartbeat (3)

Heartbeat travelled a long, and decidedly bumpy road in its ten years in existence. The band's roots go back to 1981 when Scottish-born Ray and Nancy Goudie, who were heading up the music department of British Youth For Christ (a job previously done by Graham Kendrick!), identified the need for a backing band to work with other BYFC - associated musicians like Sheila Walsh and Dave Pope. A loose knit band of musicians were assembled: Ray (drums) and Nancy (vocals) with musicians Chris Rolinson (the keyboards-man later to become a major worship composer), Colin Vallance on bass and Jonny Billingsley on guitar. Sometimes as a backing unit, sometimes as a band in their own right, Heartbeat went into schools, colleges and prisons. But as a worship band they also zigzagged Britain in seemingly never-ending tours.