Emma

Emma is the band's very talented lead singer, providing superb professional vocals that audiences find enthralling.  Her authoritative and emotional delivery give the band its edge and 'tingle factor'.

Emma's singing experience began at junior school when she was told she couldn't join the choir!  This must have spurred her on to greater things and indeed her first major public appearance was when she was at Liverpool University and sang Peggy Lee's 'Fever' and John Lennon's 'War Is Over' backed by the Liverpool University Choir, no less!

As a toddler Emma enjoyed it when her parents played her Roy Orbison records, and although not a child of the 60s (like the other members of the band...) her main musical influences are from that period and include The Yardbirds, The Spencer Davis Group, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Fleetwood Mac and Dusty Springfield.  Emma fulfilled a dream when she performed as Dusty Springfield on UK TV's 'Stars In Their Eyes', going on not only to win her show but the season grand final.  Emma went on to sing as Dusty all over the UK and annually at 'Dusty Day' for the singer's devoted fans, and also toured with various jazz and soul bands, finally joining The Skyline Band in 2007.

Profession: Teacher of English and Drama.  Emma loves painting and if not a teacher would love to be able to sell her abstracts.  All time favourite singers:  Steve Marriott (Small Faces, Humble Pie), Billie Holiday and Aretha Franklin.  Other favourite things: cats (she has four!), gorillas, and Marmite! 

John

John is the unashamed control-freak in the band, slaving away in his studio most nights on song arrangements and synthesiser programming for the band's material, oh, and producing this web site!  When the band are together in John's studio the others like to have a window open as he's prone to occasional fits of flatulence when the excitement gets too much...

His Dad bought him his first guitar in 1965 and after struggling to learn a few chords - there wasn't the plethora of tutorial books, web sites and DVDs that there is now - he finally managed to crank out the opening riff to Roy Orbison's Pretty Woman and from that moment, as they say, never looked back.  John formed 'The Trane' which had a lot of success in the Warwickshire area playing their own brand of blues/rock/soul until tragedy struck in 1967 when two members, Ned Foyle and Geoff Timms were killed in a road accident involving the band's van.

Unable to ignore the bug of playing live music, John formed numerous bands with Laurie over the years, rejoicing in names such as 'Flat Stanley', 'Sugarcane' and 'Blues Deluxe', culminating in the present lineup, the 'The Skyline Band'.

John's music influences cover a wide range including classical, but his true love is for the blues, particularly when played by the three  'kings' of blues guitar B B King, Albert King and Freddie King (no relation to each other).  The guitar styles of Peter Green and Jeff Beck also emerge in his playing.

Although a Chartered Accountant, John doesn't conform to the stereotypical image of one portrayed in the following quips:

• What do you call an accountant seen talking to someone?  Popular.

• What's an extrovert accountant?  One who looks at your shoes while he's talking to you, instead of his own.

• What's an accountant's idea of trashing his hotel room?  Refusing to fill out the guest comment card.

• What does an accountant use for birth control?  His personality.

• What's pink and hard in the morning?  The Financial Times crossword.

 

Laurie

Laurie built his first drum kit when he was nine years old after being taken to see Lonnie Donegan at the Coventry Theatre.  It comprised two upturned biscuit tins, a round, flat brass tray (he later found out it was a handbeaten antique tray from India that his grandfather had acquired – oops!  But it did have a very satisfying ‘ping’ to it), and a pair of his mother’s best knitting needles.  His first real kit was bought after seeing the Beatles on the Royal Command Performance in 1963.  Watching Ringo he thought, 'I can do that',  so he did.  Forty years and several drum kits later, Laurie's still going strong –ish!

His earliest music influence was Lonnie Donegan, "...who gave us that magical mix of American folk music, blues and incipient rock’n’roll called skiffle".  ‘Rock Island Line’ is still one of his all time favourite tracks.  He also listened to a lot of jazz - modern variety - as a youngster.

A chance meeting with John’s brother led to Laurie's joining John’s band that he was putting together with some school mates.  (Sings:) "They've been together now for forty years and it don’t seem a day...."   The biggest influence on that band  was the R’n’B/blues boom of the 60s, the leading lights of which were The Yardbirds, John Mayall, The Stones, to name a few.

Career highlight: Playing support to the Jeff Beck group with Rod Stewart and Ron Wood at Benn Memorial Hall Rugby.  Dined out on that one a few times!

Worst time: Those few minutes before every gig.  Closer, let me whisper in your ear.  Always check out the loos in the places you play.  You will need them!

Favourite music story: as related by the great Buddy Rich as he was trying to get into the venue at which he was playing:

Officious doorman:  "Are you in the band, sir?"

Mr Rich:  "Mister, I am the band."

Jim

Having cut his teeth on guitar at university in the 70s after listening to his favourite 'progressive rock' bands such Pink Floyd and King Crimson, Jim is the ‘baby’ of the band having only joined in the late 80s.  He became friends with John at their gun club (gosh, that sounds rather manly, doesn't it...)   One day they discovered by accident that they shared an interest in guitars as well as handguns - obviously a 'big boys' toys' thing.  Jim has played second guitar ever since and is a great  backing vocalist, especially with harmonies. 

An expert on all things in the computer world, Jim is our resident essential technician.  Bizarrely, but perhaps understandably, he has enough of IT during his working day so isn't addicted to the email, web surfing, computerised music technology, and forums, etc. that the rest of us can be.  In fact it would be quicker to write a letter to Jim because he checks his email so infrequently and never answers his mobile phone...  Jim knows all there is to know about how guitars and amplifiers work on the inside.  Whereas, John simply judges guitars on how red, shiny and sexy they look and whether they make the desired 'grrannngg' noises.  On stage, Jim is as cool as a cucumber no matter what the conditions.  Whilst John is perspiring freely, and becoming worryingly redder as he tries to bring 'Mustang Sally' to a climax, Jim will remain dry and unmoved.  Unlike Sally.  (That's quite enough of that, thank you. Ed.)

Apart from his playing skills, Jim is the guy to have around when the fuses blow (literally).  His toolkit of odds and sods have got us out of many a sticky situation.  He can always be relied upon to have the right cable, plugs, fuses, pliers...  Jim’s quiet calm and thoughtful personality complement the perhaps more volatile characters of John and Laurie, and he can be relied upon to calm many a savage breast!