HISTORY OF THE SIGNATURES
2009
The Signatures originally formed in 2009 out of a group called Mod Life Crisis – the change in the name followed the intention of becoming a purely Northern Soul group. At that time the frontman was Bill Mayall and the band was mainly made up of good friends wanting to make music together – we were regulars at scooter rallies and local music venues in the South East.
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Changes in line-up have always been a part of The Signatures, keeping ten musicians together is a task in and of itself!
2015
2015 saw the departure of Bill as our lead singer, along with some of the other key musicians – this meant that most of the original line-up was gone! Many thought that the band wouldn’t survive…
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Gavin took over as band manager and recruited Lee Bonington from The Mannequins – this was a shock to some of our fans, as the group had clearly embraced a new kind of sound. The Signatures were changing direction, now focusing solely on Northern Soul. We continued to build on our success, playing more gigs and going further afield with each performance.
2016
In 2016 Stefan Taylor sang at his first Sigs gig – the rest is, as they say, history! Lee slowly backed away from the group, and Stefan took over as our frontman.
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The Signatures really came into their own in this period: playing music venues, rallies, music festivals, and promoting our own Northern Soul nights. We improved our presence online and experienced the harsh world of social media and how particular the Northern Soul scene can be.
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We met a singer on the soul scene, Paul Stuart Davies – he appreciated our direction and his interest in us as a backing band showed us how versatile that new direction could be.
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After a few gigs with both Paul and Stefan, we were invited to attend as guests to the Northern Soul Survivors Weekender run by Russ Winstanley.
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The Weekender was a true eye-opener – we had the honour to be introduced to artists like Dean Parrish, Tommy Hunt and many more. The Diana Shaw Band were the backing group for the artists, and we saw in them our aspirations for the future.
2017
In 2017 we were approached by a legendary figure in the Northern Soul scene, Russ Winstanley. He told us that he could see how passionate we all were about the music, which as I am sure you can imagine was an incredible thing to hear from this pioneer of the scene. We performed a few months later with Dean Parrish, Brenda Holloway, Tommy Hunt and Tobi Legend (in her only UK live appearance).
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We also struck up a great friendship with the incredible Tommy Hunt and began our relationship with ‘The Oldest Man in Soul’.
2018
We were fully part of Russ’s team at the Northern Soul Survivors Weekender. There we were privileged to perform with Pat Lewis, Dean Parrish, Tommy Hunt, Jimmy Thomas, Spyder Turner, Ruby Andrews as well as Jackie Wilson’s son Bobby Wilson. Later that year we put on a great tour with Chairmen of the Board Ft. Ken Knox – this is where we would begin bringing over US artists for tours in the UK. We were starting to form a real following, even outside of the Northern Soul scene.
2019
2019 was an incredible for The Signatures! A tour with Bobby Wilson and Nolan Porter; performing at the final Northern Soul Survivors Weekender with Gloria Jones, Chris Clarke, Brenda Holloway, The Flirtations and Tommy Hunt; and an incredible weekender that we put on in sunny Mallorca with Tommy Hunt, Nolan Porter, and Stefan Taylor. It was one of hardest but most creatively satisfying years for the group.
2020
In 2020 we entered a new market entirely – the theatre circuit! We planned our first UK tour with Lorraine Silver and our Mallorca Weekender in October with The Flirtations and Tommy Hunt.
Work was almost finished on our first album, too… However, due to COVID-19 , many of the year’s performances at venues and festivals had to be cancelled or postponed to 2021...
2021
We were thrilled that we managed to get back on tour in 2021. Our Northern Soul Live tour was in full swing throughout 2021 and into 2022.
We also released our first full studio album 'Run For Cover' and the pleasure of working with Georgia Crandon on tour.
2022
2022 featured our Northern Soul Weekender in Mallorca! It was a brilliant weekend full of sun, live music from legendary artists, international DJs, lots of dancing and more. We were lucky enough to be joined by Lorraine Silver, Georgia Crandon, John Valero and plenty more original Northern Soulers! From the pool party, to the live sets, there was an amazing atmosphere under the sun all weekend!
2023
In 2023, the band was back on tour and ready to take the UK by storm with a series of shows at renowned venues and festivals, including Sydney Barnes' weekender in Coventry!
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We joined We were also luck enough to record and release a track in the BBC Maida Vale Studios. Listen here.
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A major milestone in the band's journey came when The Signatures were featured as the official house band for the Northern Soul Special on The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show on BBC Radio 6 Music. Performing on such a prestigious, nationally broadcast platform solidified the group's reputation as the country's premier, most authentic live Northern Soul act.
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2024
The momentum accelerated in 2024 as The Signatures embarked on a landmark UK tour, further cementing their reputation by collaborating with true soul royalty. The band teamed up with Steve Ellis, the legendary original voice of The Love Affair, bringing a British soul pioneer to audiences across the country.
Adding to the year’s historic milestones, the tour also marked the highly anticipated return of US soul icon Sydney Barnes to the UK. Bringing together these legendary voices with the band’s signature high-energy, ten-piece ensemble made 2024 one of the most prestigious chapters in the group's touring history.
2025
2025 marked a new era for The Signatures. Following the departure of longtime vocalist Stefan, the band introduced the incredibly talented Freddy Gillmore as their new frontman, injecting a fresh energy into the line-up.
On the touring front, the group worked with another soul legend, backing Eddie Holman for an exclusive, highly anticipated three-date UK tour.
Alongside these headline shows, the band continued to tour the UK, working with Motown stars The Flirtations and welcoming the return of Sydney Barnes, making 2025 an unforgettable year.
2026
That brings us to 2026. The year kicked off in spectacular fashion with a phenomenal sell-out show at London’s legendary Jazz Cafe.
Back out on a massive UK tour, the band has been packing dancefloors nationwide alongside special guest and Wigan Casino icon Lorraine Silver. With a calendar packed full of headline theatre dates, major weekenders, and festivals, the band’s powerhouse ten-piece sound continues..
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​ All in all, The Signatures are going from strength to strength, and we have no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
PHOTOS
