With the joining of pianist Vilmos Halmos in 1975, the ‘golden lineup’ was formed—a legendary formation that lasted until 1995, until the departure of Sándor Vajda—during which they grew into one of the most successful Dixieland bands in Europe and later in the world.

In 1976, the band embarked on a major European tour. They performed in Warsaw, at the jazz festivals in Breda and Dresden, as well as in several international jazz clubs.

By this time, four Benkó Dixieland Clubs were already operating in the country. In addition to those in Székesfehérvár, Győr, and the Budapest club on Török Pál Street founded in 1967, the band’s ‘club network’ was expanded with a new venue, the Óbudai Cultural Center.

1977-ben aranylemezes lett az együttes, több mint ötvenezer példányban kelt el a ’72-ben Benkó Dixieland Band címmel megjelent első nagylemezük. Sőt a londoni Music Week zenei szaklap is, a Benkó Dixieland Band-nek ítélte az Év Zenekara nemzetközi kitüntetést.

In 1977, they launched their first self-organized Dixieland festival in Tata. At the invitation of the Hungarian State Philharmonia, in the early 1980s they gave concerts across the country—enhanced with youth-oriented jazz history lectures—in primary and secondary schools, as well as at the Liszt Academy of Music, as part of the Sunday morning performances in the “Music of Our Time” series.

In 1982, at the Jazz Jubilee in Sacramento—the world’s largest Dixieland gathering—they won first prize in the traditional category. They performed in New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Knoxville, and New Orleans. They conquered America.

In California, in 1983, the band was named ‘International Jazz Band of the Year.’ In 1985, they were also honored by Jerry Brown and his successor, George Deukmejian.