Cy Winstanley grew up in sunny New Zealand, on the North Shore of Auckland. He started playing the guitar at age 13 where he started with devilish rock music, then moved to Jazz some time later. After being awarded the title of 'Best Jazz Guitarist' at the Tauranga Jazz Festival at age 16, he decided it was time to knuckle down and do some serious practice. This decision, whilst beneficial at first, eventually left him with a nasty strain injury in both hands, restricting his playing for the next 3 years. However, during that fairly depressing period, Cy tried his hand at singing, harmonica and strangely, the pan pipes. Singing (and a bit of harmonica) was the one that stuck.

After a 2 year sojurn at the University of Auckland studying Jazz voice and a bit of Jazz Guitar (his hands were repairing), Cy gigged night after night with 5 piece rock covers band 'Springfield', a band that developed quite a following in good old Browns Bay and at the Dog's Bollix bar in Auckland City. Cy sang and played guitar in Springfield. Then, whilst stil playing in Springfield, Cy played alongside Dave Khan in 'The Wyatt Brothers', an acoustic folk/bluegrass duo. This opened Cy's eyes to the wonders of bluegrass.

In early 2003 Cy decided it was time for a change and that London was the city in which the change would take place. So, on the 26th of December 2003, after a massive final 'Springfield' concert on the 24th, Cy packed his bags and flew to England.

So far in England Cy has played in his own 'alternative rock' band 'Winters' (since retired), gigged in 'The Bartos Brothers' (covers duo along the lines of the aforementioned 'Wyatt Brothers' - though not so Bluegrassy), done various Jazz things in duos/quartets, done solo covers gigs and done the odd bit of session guitar. The most enduring of all these however is the band formally known as 'Marshmallow', with ex Mutton Bird Alan Gregg. Cy has played guitar and sung backing vocals in the band which enjoyed a number of gigs at a number of venues including London's 'Forum' and 'The Borderline', in addition to 'The Cornbury Festival'. After numerous high profile meetings and deliberations, the decision has been made that Cy will now sing lead vocal, a new line up shall be sought and the name shall be changed from Marshmallow (The new name is not yet decided). Stay tuned for more details.