BIOGRAPHY

Born 7th Feb 1962 in Redditch, Worcestershire, Debbie attended the Holy Trinity Convent School for girls in Kidderminster, Worcestershire. She left with O levels and A levels and studied business diploma in French and Spanish…

Her home was at The Old Hyde farm, Cutnall Green, Worcestershire, and lived with her father (his name was John Henry Bonham snr…but he was known as Jack), in the cottage at the back at The Old Hyde Farm. Her brother, the legendary drummer for Led Zeppelin, John Bonham, lived in the main building.

It was while she lived there that Debbie and nephew Jason Bonham started playing and recording their first ever demos.

After her brother John died in 1980, when Debbie was 17, she was invited to Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant’s house in a nearby town in Worcestershire. It was there she recorded her first proper demos.

Encouraged and advised by Robert, she sent out the demos anonymously and soon landed her first record deal with the major label Carrere Records, for whom she recorded the critically acclaimed album "For You and the Moon". The album reached the top 5 in the NME chart, was Simon Bates record of the week on Radio 1 and sold extremely well in Europe, being voted "Record of the Year" by Musik Mart, Germany. Unfortunately, due to record company complications, the record was never released outside Europe.

After the album, Deborah decided to take time out to write and pay her dues on stage touring up and down the UK and in other parts of Europe. There also followed a short period of recording for the Japanese Sam Corporation and Deborah visited Japan to do some preliminary promotional work with the press and radio, resulting in a number of interviews for magazines like Burrn and J Wave Radio. However, unhappy with the deal, she struck a new management agreement with the English label RPM records to release the single, "Perfect World" in 1995.

Deborah spent 1996 getting her new band together, rehearsing new songs for an album and playing selected gigs such as headlining at The Belfast Festival and a sell out show at the Bottom Line, Shepherd's Bush to excellent reviews, honing a new direction for the forthcoming album.

The beginning of 1997 saw two extremely successful trips to the US. Firstly, she performed live on LA's Rockline radio to three million listeners throughout North America and Canada, as a special guest of John's son, Jason Bonham. This was followed by a special appearance with Jason and his band at the Whiskey A Go Go in Los Angeles, where she was incredibly well received.

The success of the first trip led to another visit to the US with her band to open for Jason's shows in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and New York. Subsequently, another three month tour with Jason was secured.

Since then Deborah has been dividing her writing songs for her new album and working tirelessly for the Moorcroft Race Horse Welfare Centre

Deborah’s new album, ‘The Old Hyde’ is a stunning array of bluesy rock and emotive ballads, all perfectly showcasing Deborah’s stunningly powerful voice to maximum effect, the title track being a ballad written about her brother’s John & Michael and her late father, and the house they built, where Deborah was raised.

Produced by MO FOSTER (of Jeff Beck, Van Morrison, Phil Collins fame), the album features guest appearances from MICK FLEETWOOD, Robert Plant guitarists ROBBIE BLUNT and DOUGIE BOYLE, Pretenders/Paul McCartney's guitarist ROBBIE MCINTOSH and John's son JASON BONHAM plays powerhouse drums throughout.

Deborah will be touring to support this release from September to December 2004, by means of club dates and special guest slot’s on the Jools Holland Stadium and Arena tour in Autumn 2004.

This will be followed by further club headline tours in 2005, as well as recording and appearing live with Ann Peebles, and in addition, Deborah will also be part of an upcoming Soul Divas Tour with Sam Brown, Ruby Turner, and Kym Mazelle.

Deborah Bonham LIVE in 2004:

Sunday 11th July Bolton Reebok Stadium With Jools Holland
Saturday 17th July Blues At The Abbey Festival
Sunday 1st August Glastonbury Abbey Supporting Jools Holland
Friday 3rd September Leicester Musician
Saturday 4th September Worcester Marrs Bar
Thursday 9th September Aberdeen Drummonds
Friday 10th September Glenfarg Bein Inn
Saturday 11th September Hartlepool Studio
Tuesday 14th September Brighton Komedia
Friday 17th September Carlisle Brickyard
Saturday 18th September Bradford Rio
Friday 24th September Pontypridd District Club
Saturday 25th September Swindon Riffs
Friday 1st October Aldershot West End Centre
Saturday 2nd October Hurtwood Park Cranleigh (Night for Bonzos)
Thursday 14th October Liverpool Cavern
Friday 15th October Doncaster Leopard
Thursday 28th October Southsea Bullfrog Blues Club
Saturday 30th October Southend Riga Music
Friday 5th November Plymouth Plymouth Pavilions With JOOLS HOLLAND
Sunday 7th November Bournemouth International Centre With JOOLS HOLLAND
Saturday 20 November London Islington Academy GREG RIDLEY Memorial Concert
Thursday 25th November Nottingham Royal Centre With JOOLS HOLLAND
Thursday 2nd December London Mean Fiddler (formerly L/A2) with THE CASBAH CLUB
Thursday 9 December St. Albans The Horn
Friday 17th December Sheffield Hallam Arena With JOOLS HOLLAND
Saturday 18th December Cardiff International Arena With JOOLS HOLLAND
Sunday 19th December Brighton Brighton Centre With JOOLS HOLLAND
Tuesday 21st December Bristol Colston Hall With JOOLS HOLLAND
Wednesday 22nd December Bristol Colston Hall With JOOLS HOLLAND

VARIOUS CAREER HIGHLIGHTS TO DATE:

• Deborah was specially invited by Eddie Van Halen to perform the Led Zeppelin classic "Rock & Roll", at Van Halen's tour launch show.
• Deborah was specially invited by Alannah Myles to sing "Black Velvet" with her at "The World's Greatest Music Party" headlined by Diana Ross and Rod Stewart at the NEC Birmingham. This was filmed for International TV and was broadcast on BBC1 Christmas evening.
• Live unplugged and interview on VH1 "Take it to the Bridge"
• Live full band performance and interview on Ulster TV "Gerry Kelly Show"
• Live unplugged session GLR (Greater London Radio)
• Interview and video "Live TV"
• Interview, video, live performance BBC1
• Special live performance with Jason Bonham, Rockline Radio Los Angeles (three million listeners North America and Canada).
• Special live performance with Jason Bonham, Whiskey A Go Go - Los Angeles (sold out), subsequent shows live shows; Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, New York, May/June '97, House of Blues - Los Angles Sept. '97 (sold out) + subsequent live shows.
* Special guest Jools Holland Stadium and Arena Tour
* Ann Peebles Concert and recording. Guesting and Duet
* Soul Divas Tour with Sam Brown, Ruby Turner, and Kym Mazelle

TEXT FROM PRESS RELEASE, AUGUST 2004, ON DEBORAH BONHAM

DEBORAH BONHAM is the younger sister of the late JOHN BONHAM, the world's greatest rock drummer. Deborah was only five when John joined LED ZEPPELIN, but this powerful introduction sparked in her the overwhelming desire the write and perform music.

She assembled a band of hand-picked musicians and achieved a major breakthrough in the USA on her debut tour with JASON BONHAM, John's son. The tour began at the prestigious House Of The Blues in Los Angeles, a tribute memorial show for John enttled "A Night For Bonzo". The 4,000 capacity auditorium was sold out with people being turned away at the door. Deborah has released a couple of critically acclaimed albums, and in 2004 is to release her eagerly awaited new album 'The Old Hyde'.

In recent years, Deborah has appeared on numerous UK, US and European Festivals, including Bulldog Bash, Cropedy, Canterbury Fayre, Fontwell and Donnington. Other appearances include The Steve Marriott Memoral Concert at The Astoria, London together with Humble Pie (the original line up), Paul Weller, Noel Gallagher and original Small Faces Ian MacLagen and Kenny Jones and Steve Ellis from Love Affair; Donnington rock and blues festival to 20,000 which lead to her being invited to go to Germany with Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth where she performed the Zep track "Since I've Been Loving You" with Uli to 10,000 delighted fans.

"THE OLD HYDE", Deborah's recently completed album (to be released by TRACK RECORDS) is a stunning array of blues mixed with ballads and rock, the title track being a ballad written about her brother John and her late father. Produced by MO FOSTER (of Phil Collins, Jeff Beck and Van Morrison fame), the album features guest appearances from Mo Foster, Mick Fleetwood, Robert Plant guitarists Robbie Blunt and Dougie Boyle, Pretenders/Paul McCartney's guitarist Robbie McIntosh and John's son Jason Bonham plays powerhouse drums throughout. The album also features a live version of "The Battle Of Evermore"- a duet with Jason.

"The Old Hyde" will be released in October 2004 on the legendary Track Records label (the recently resurrected label which signed The Jimi Hendrix Experience and The Who, amongst many other renowned and significant acts in the 60's and 70's), and will be promoted by a series of gigs across the UK and Europe throughout the month of September to December, by means of Nationally Advertised Tours and various one-off appearances. The live line up includes Jerry Shirley on Drums (founder and former member of HUMBLE PIE).

Deborah also features on the just-released "With A Lot Of Help From Our Friends" Charity album, which was recorded live in September 2003 featuring Donovan. Kenny Jones Gang, Mark Butcher Band, Deborah Bonham & Tony Moore. Proceeds go to The Moorcroft Centre & The Ben Hollioake Fund for Terminally Ill Children (fund set up in memory of the young cricketer who tragically died in an accident in Australia in 2003).

Deborah also appeared at the Ronnie Lane Memorial at London's Royal Albert Hall in April 2004. This was a charity concert in aid of Ronnie's family in the UK who lost their home in a fire recently, which included (amongst others) Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance, Pete Townshend, Ronnie Wood, Kenny Jones, Paul Weller, Chris Farlowe, Deborah Bonham & many more.

Deborah Bonham and her band deliver hugh quality blues rock and will be coming out of the shadows in 2004 with a stunning album and captivating live show.

********** STOP PRESS **********

DEBORAH BONHAM has been confirmed as Special Guest on selected dates for forthcoming JOOLS HOLLAND and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, UK Tour November/December 2004.

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