SBBA life membership medal awarded to Steven Craig

Congratulations to Steven Craig on being awarded his life membership medal by the Scottish Brass Band Association for achieving 50 years of service to the banding movement.

Steven started playing with the Tullis junior band in 1970 on tenor horn before moving to the Tullis Russell senior band two years later with whom he took part in his first Scottish Championships.

After a transfer to Cowdenbeath Public on horn and a subsequent return to Tullis Russell on flugel, he signed up with the CWS Glasgow Band in 1988 playing cornet. On moving back to Fife, he joined Kingdom Brass on horn and, finally back to where it all started, Tullis Russell Mills Band playing solo horn till 2018.

Steven has helped a few bands out at the odd contest since then.

More recently he has been conducting Buckhaven & Methil Miners Band and it was at a joint concert with the cooperation band that he was presented with his medal.

Most of his playing career highlights have come with the CWS Glasgow Band, winning the Nationals in 1990 and touring Australia – including performing at the Sydney Opera House – and New Zealand in the 1990s.

As a conductor, he achieved an unusual ‘double’ when he led the Tullis Russell senior band to the 2nd Section title and the TR intermediate band to the 3rd Section title at the 2014 Scottish Championships.

He was also adjudged to be the Best Horn at the 2016 Scottish Championships while winning the 1st Section with Tullis Russell.

“It’s a real honour to have received the SBBA life membership medal for 50 years service to brass bands in Scotland,” Steven said. “There have been some good times, some great times and even some fantastic times and I'm sure there are still more to come.”

Steven shows off his SBBA medal with his proud wife Brenda