Burnham focus 143 copy

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Burnham & Dengie Focus
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VETERAN BURNHAM SINGER STEVE'S
HOMECOMING BLUES AT THE BARN GIG
ONE of the stars of Blues at the Barns 2018 has spoken of his
excitement at returning to play in the town his family called
home for many years.
Veteran roots and country singer and guitarist Steve Somers
will play his first Essex gig in decades when he leads the Steve
and Ben Somers Country Band at the festival, in Creeksea, near
Burnham-on-Crouch, on Sunday, May 6.
Steve lived in Burnham with wife, Pat and their family in the
1980s, when he was a much-loved entertainer, playing sold-out
shows in local venues in between live and TV appearances all
over the UK and Europe.
The family later moved to Cambridgeshire and then to France,
Steve and Pat returning to the UK in 2016 to be close to their
grandchildren. The return heralded a whole new phase to
Steve's 50-years-plus musical career - one which sees him sharing
stages across Europe with his multi-instrumentalist son, Ben, 39.
Steve said: "Coming back to Burnham for me is truly like
coming home. I wish I lived there now. I lived on Tillingham
marshes as a youngster and when I got married, we bought our
first house, in Mildmay Road, Burnham. I was playing in
Burnham when I won New Faces on the TV in 1975."We played
the Carnival Hall when I joined The Settlers , which was a bit of
a coup as we were still enjoying chart success with our record,
the Lightning Tree, and playing some very big venues at the
time. Playing to Burnham audiences was always like playing at
a friend's party."
After singing and playing guitar in folk clubs in the Sixties,
Steve enjoyed national success in 1975, winning TV's New Faces
talent show - the X Factor of its day - going on to join successful
folk/pop outfit The Settlers.
Steve later played and sung with stars, including skiffle legend
Lonnie Donegan, Cockney singer Joe Brown, American legends
Johnny Tillotson and Don Everly and pop star Lulu. He also
toured with Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash and Billy Jo Spears, also
touring and broadcasting with his own band.
His son, Ben, followed him into the music business, including
a stint playing saxophone with Jools Holland's Rhythm & Blues
Orchestra, through he sings and plays double bass in the country
band.
The Steve and Ben Somers Country Band play the Barn Stage
at Blues at the Barns on the evening of Sunday, May 6, at
Creeksea Place Farm, Creeksea, just outside Burnham.
Tickets cost £25 for the day (£8, under-12s) and are on sale
now at the venue, by phone from 01621 786503 and online at
www.bluesatthebarns.moonfruit.com
New for 2018 will be a dedicated festival campsite, a wide
range of blues and Americana-themed food, and at least one
"Festival Fringe" blues event in Burnham town on the evening
before the festival proper - Saturday, May 5.
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