STEVE KING BIG BAND From its early beginnings as a youth band, the passage of time has, after around thirty-five years turned the Steve King Big Band into one of the areas leading exponents of big band music. The current line-up is an eclectic mix of seasoned pros and semi-pros including some of the brightest sparks in the jazz scene today which helps keep the band at the forefront of the burgeoning big band movement. The band has always known success. Since winning a talent competition in the early days, it has gone from strength to strength, appearing at every major venue in the West Midlands playing for concert and dance engagements including several sell out appearances at Ronnie Scott's. It was amongst the prize winners at the annual Musicians' Union Big Band Contest an unprecedented nine times, winning outright on two occasions. It has five best selling albums currently in release including its latest CD, 'Back in Town”. The band can be heard regularly on various radio stations including Saga 105.7FM and BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester. Part of the band's appeal is the wide range of musical styles it plays. A typical concert will encompass anything from Goodman to Goodwin. With a woodwind section that doubles twenty-three instruments between them and a tuba player and tuned percussionist as part of the regular line-up, this band tackles many charts other bands cannot reach! Vocals are in the very capable hands of Lynn Dawes who hails from the USA. Lynn has built up a large following singing with local bands and brings a superb singing style to the bands' performances. In order to maintain its musical integrity, the band was awarded lottery grants from the Arts Council of Great Britain in 1997 and 2001 which should enable it to continue with its own brand of big band music into the Millennium and beyond.