The Deborah Bonham Band joins Chichester's Priory Park Festival

“It’s really lovely to think of it being in Chichester,” says Deborah who lives just outside the city and comes to Priory Park on the back of a major tour with her long-standing friend, ex-Free and ex-Bad Company frontman Paul Rodgers. They played Portsmouth at the end of May.

“And now for the first time in years, I get to play with the incredible Chris Farlowe.

“Chris goes back many years with my family,” says Deborah, whose late brother John was Led Zeppelin’s drummer. “I know that they were all friends years ago. Jimmy Page played with Chris quite a lot.

“I have not seen Chris since I played at Ronnie Lane’s memorial concert at the Albert Hall. Chris turned up for that. And about 20 years ago, we appeared on an album together, The Wizard’s Convention, though we didn’t meet.

“I hope we will duet. We have not really spoken about it yet. Chris has just got such a phenomenal voice, and he has always been such a phenomenal performer. He has got a very large presence as well.

“He is one of those unbelievable British singers that came out of the 60s that were just incredible.

“He will do some of his songs with my band, and I hope we will sing together.”

A regular festival favourite Deborah Bonham and her band, now featuring Jo Burt (Black Sabbath, Freddie Mercury, Tom Robinson) on bass and Frank Benbini (Fun Lovin Criminals) on drums, play Chichester off the back of the re-release of their remastered, expanded Spirit album which they brought out just before embarking on the Paul Rodgers tour.

They play the Priory Park Festival on its opening night, Friday, July 7.

Is This the Way to Amarillo singer Tony Christie is among the performers also lined up for this year’s Priory Park Festival.

Also on the bill will be Georgie Fame, S Club, Dodgy, The Bog Rolling Stones and Jim Cregan – Rod Stewart’s right-hand man – and his band.

The weekend will also include former Strangler Hugh Cornwell.

Festival director Robin Bextor is promising an eclectic three-day weekend of music, comedy and food and drink on July 7, 8 and 9 in Priory Park – and this year, the festival’s second year, there will be a much clearer division between the days, plus the addition of an outdoor stage.

The result is that Friday will be jazz and blues; Saturday will be rock; and Sunday will put the emphasis on family fun.

Booking is open online: www.prioryparkfestival.co.uk. www.facebook.com/PrioryParkFestival; www.twitter.com/@prioryfestival.

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