STEVE Temple is typically modest about the fact that he and brother Colin were voted the best tribute to the Everly Brothers in the UK.

“Well, it shows that we must be doing something right,” he laughed. “But we are extremely proud of the award. To be judged the best in the UK is amazing.”

On Saturday, the audience at the Thwaites Empire Theatre, Blackburn, will get the opportunity to judge for themselves, just how uncannily accurate the Temple Brothers are in matching the harmonies of one of the most famous duos of all time when The Everly Brothers and Friends returns to the venue.

“I think this will be the third time we will have been at the theatre,” said Steve. “It is a great venue and there is always a great audience.”

Steve and Colin were crowned the UK’s best in the National Music Tribute Awards 2017 - and Steve admits it is all thanks to their mum.

“We started off in different bands and then ended up in a band together,” said Steve. “Then every now and then one of the band would leave which is what happens in bands and our mum just said ‘why don’t you work as a duo doing the Everly’s?’

“We did a couple of Everly Brothers numbers in the band set and they had always gone down well but we had never thought of it before.”

Steve who had been a drummer since the age of 13 had to learn to play the guitar for the Everly’s idea to take off.

“It was all right for Colin, he was a great guitar player. I didn’t have a clue at first,” he said. “He sat down and gave me lessons and within a year I was up to the job.”

With their distinct vocal harmonies and the back catalogue of classic songs including Wake Up Little Suzy and All I Have to do Is Dream, the Everly Brothers represent the ultimate challenge for any would-be soundalikes.

“I’m the Phil Everly of the outfit,” said Steve. “So I have to do all the harmonies, but I was really lucky that my voice naturally fitted the songs.

“It did take me several months to figure out some of the harmonies but now I feel as though I have got into Phil’s head. I can listen to some of the more obscure Everly Brothers’ songs and I’ll know what he is going to do before he does it.”

For the Everly Brothers and Friends show on Saturday, Steve and Colin will be joined by three other leading tributes who will take the audience back to the early days of rock and roll.

The first half of the show will feature the music of Hank Marvin and the Shadows, Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis before The Temple Bothers bring all the Everly Brothers’ hits to life in the second half.

“We all get together on stage at the end for a few rock and roll encores,” said Steve.

Although they sound uncannily like the American siblings, Steve and Colin don’t share the same tempestuous relationship as the Everly Brothers.

“We’ve had our argy bargies over the years as any brothers do,” said Steve, “but no, we’re nothing like them in that respect.

“We just really do it for the love of performing and for the songs. Nothing beats being on stage and then you get that reaction from the audience, you can’t buy that feeling.”

The Everly Brothers and Friends, Thwaites Empire Theatre, Ewood, Blackburn, Saturday, January 13. Details from 01254 685500 or www.thwaitesempiretheatre.com