Rock star Rick Wakeman is to be the guest speaker at an event organised by the Birmingham Press Club.

Rick - best known for being a member of long-running supergroup 'Yes' - will be guest of honour during a lunch at the Burlington Hotel in Birmingham city centre on March 12.

He will be talk about his career as a musician, and will also entertain guests on the piano - when he may also be joined by a yet-to-be confirmed guest musician from one of his former bands.

Press Club chairman Andrew Sparrow said: "It's certainly a great coup for us to welcome Rick Wakeman as our first speaker of 2004.

"He's also the first rock star we have secured as a celebrity speaker, and I'm sure the event will be a massive sell-out."

Guests at the event, which is being sponsored by Abbey National, will also be invited to bid for a rare vintage 1961 Chateau Lafite Rothschild wine, which has been donated by the international women's business group 'Lady Ambassadors'. Proceeds from the sale will go to the Acorns Children's Hospice.

Tickets for the event are priced at £25 for members and £30 for non-members and are available from Fay Goodman of Goodmedia on 0121 693 9390.

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