Hi, I'm Debbie Curtis, I've been a musician all my life!  My Dad (and Joe Cocker) taught me piano from age 4, and that was it, I was hooked. Over time I’ve worked with a real mix of famous (and not so famous) singers, musicians and celebs!

My Dad Eddie was a well known Trombonist, Big Band Leader and Music Arranger and my Mum Joy was a session singer on Radio & TV.

As a child, I was surrounded by musicians, so my influences are extremely varied. Our house, and next door, (also musicians), was regularly full of people making all kinds of music. What I was oblivious to, was that a great many of them were extremely famous! I look back now and think 'wow' but back then it just seemed the norm.

As I entered my teens I formed bands and played music with friends from school, I concentrated on piano and keyboards, writing and singing, and the guitar was secondary. 

My first proper band 'Platinum Blonde' was great fun and we gigged regularly. Perhaps best of all was my first recording experience and helping us out on guitar and providing the studio, was the Late, Great, Alvin Lee of 'Ten Years After'

I became frustrated with band egos and rows and decided to go solo. My then manager built me a home studio and I wrote and recorded using sequencers & drum machines. That was too lonely, I no longer use sequencers, what you hear, I have played by hand, but sometimes I bring in musicians to record too with a separate backing band for live work.

I have recorded and released solo and with The Gangsters of The Groove, D-Ranged', Jerome Flynn, Hazel O'Connor, Kerry Ellis, Janey Lee Grace, David Van Day, Carol Royle, Jenny Seagrove, Anneka Svenska, Macka B, Jared Paul, Sue Moxley, Owen Paul, Vince Hill, Liza Goddard,  Polly Browne, Ellie Harrison, Alexandra Bastedo, Pola Pospieszalska, Sarah-Jane Honeywell, Chris Baker, Glenn Tilbrook plus many more and of course The Debbie Curtis Radio Big Band & Swing Orchestra!

When my Dad died, I literally inherited his Big Band Swing Orchestra.

Although terrified at first, I'm now most at home, musically speaking here. I love the live sound of a Big Band, it's huge, especially as the musicians are all immensely talented and highly experienced professionals. Although it's a very different style of singing and dress code, I really enjoy it! I am also intrigued by the history of Big Band Swing, the Band Leaders and the musicians. I've built up a large collection of books and am constantly looking out for more! For the Big Band go to the Big Band Page

I felt privileged to be asked to write a chapter for the National History Press on Big Band & Dance Band History for a book entitled ' A Re-Enactors War'!

My highlight of this band, headlining at The London Palladium, it just felt amazing!

After music, my next big love is Animals, I currently have 2 Great Danes, Dana & Goofy, 2 cats, 2 Tortoise and 4 Turtles!

I became concerned with the treatment of animals, particularly Factory Farming, so I turned vegetarian and in 2013 created Debbie Curtis’ Big Band Aid & Debbie Curtis' Voices For Animals. We recorded 2 tracks, one Big Band (Talk To The Animals) and one contemporary (All The Same) with over 30 stars from Music, Stage & Screen providing the vocals! The proceeds for VIVA! An International animal charity.

I have studied Music & Fine Art and I enjoy drawing and painting for pleasure and people seem to like my pictures and cartoons! I have also studied The Psychology of Criminal Profiling, which has given me great food for thought when it comes to writing lyrics!

For a while I ran a pop orchestra for kids 'The Cool Curzon Cafe Orchestra' which released 7 CD's over time, it was designed to give them a reason to remain interested in learning to play an instrument and it was a lot of fun! I had to close the CCCO after about 3 years as I just couldn't find the time within my own career to continue.

I find the guitar more interesting to play than keyboards and I've approached it from the angle that as a female, I need to play it like a bloke to get any respect!

More recently I have been adding music for TV and Films into my workload, I spend a lot of time at Pinewood Studios and have co-produced and co-written the music for a comedy series pilot episode History of the World.

Oh, just one more thing, the National Media, a while back, said I had been 'An Aspiring Model' this is totally wrong, I have never been a model and I never aspired to be one! I have always been and always will be a Musician, Singer, Songwriter & Music Arranger! Grrrrrrrr

Over time I've had the pleasure of working with lots of International artists, and as a musician, singer & Big Band Leader, I feel lucky!

Love

Debbie

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