ANDY LINCOLN
Andy was born on the 24 July 1958 at Hemsworth West Yorkshire. He started playing the Euphonium at school aged 12 and within a short period of time became quite successful in local music festivals, competing in 7 with a return of 2 firsts, 4 seconds and a third.
His first "real" band was the now defunct Hickleton Main Colliery Band. In 1972 he joined Barrow Colliery Band, it was there that he first encountered the BBb Tuba.
He stayed at Barrow until 1978 when he was asked to join Brodsworth Colliery Band, helping them to 3rd place in the 1982 National Brass Band Championship in London's Royal Albert Hall. Because of this high placing at their first attempt, Brodsworth were invited to compete, as English Champions in the 1983 European Championship in Kerkrade Holland, gaining 5th overall.
In 1984 Andy fulfilled a childhood ambition by joining the world famous Grimethorpe Colliery Band where he played under such wonderful musicians as Sir Harrison Birtwistle, Elgar Howarth, Geoffrey Brand, Ray Farr and David James.
Whilst at Grimethorpe they won the British Open Championship in 1984 and the 1985 Grenada Band of the Year contest with the infamous, conductorless routine. The only band to win both contests in the same 12 month span.
In 1986, due to work comitments, he left Grimethorpe and returned to Brodsworth until 1988 when he joined the Rockingham Band. In June 1991 he retired from playing altogether, but in Novemeber of the same year he was asked to join Stocksbridge Engineering Steels Band, leaving in 1993.
Andy has toured extensively throughout Europe with various bands but, in 1993 was invited to tour Australia and New Zealand with the C.W.S. (Glasgow) Band for 3 weeks, including gala concerts in Sydney Opera House, Brisbane City Hall and all the major cities in New Zealand. The tour included about 20 concerts, a TV broadcast, a radio broadcast and 14 flights.
Then in february/March 1999 he was asked to go to Australia with Grimethorpe Colliery RJB Band on the "Brassed Off" down under tour. 19 concerts, 6 in Japan, 13 in Australia. It was a total sell out.
In September 1995 he graduated from Sheffield University with a B.A. (hons) in music and spends much of the time arranging music.
In March 1997 after the demise of the Avesta Sheffield (Dodworth) Band, Andy founded the Dodworth Phoenix Youth Band attracting some 24 players aged from 5 to 13 to the band. Their first performance was on the 24th June 1997, an incredible 9 weeks after their very first rehearsal.
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