‘I did it my way!'
From performing on movie soundtracks to showcasing the tenor horn around the globe, Gordon Higginbottom has enjoyed a distinguished performing career. The 78-year-old, from Cleveleys near Fleetwood, chats to Mark Good about playing on Evita, travelling to Pakistan and turning down Black Dyke!
Whilst vital to the movement’s continued success, for some a desire to break new musical ground is nothing new - Gordon Higginbottom has been doing it for decades.
Widely regarded as one of the finest brass musicians of his generation,
the renowned tenor horn player has never been afraid to forge his own path. Whether expanding the repertoire of the horn, injecting comedy into his performance, or taking his beloved British horn sound to international audiences, which until then had been far removed from such a delicacy, Gordon has been at the forefront of brass band innovation.
Rewind from those heady days and a young Gordon was taking his first steps on his musical path. Hailing from a brass playing family, it was almost inevitable. A short spell on cornet saw him move to tenor horn, where he was soon impressing…
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