The Linda Lewis Songbook showcases an illustrious career of a much loved Black-British musical icon through music Linda recorded between 1970 and 1974. Linda’s first three albums - Say No More, Lark and Fathoms Deep - catapulted her into UK chart history and critics worldwide praised her five-octave voice and her genre-defying music. This year would have been Linda’s 75th birthday and two years since we sadly lost her unique talent.

For this intimate celebration of Linda’s music, the band features vocals by the Lewis Sisters - Shirley and Dee - well known in their own right for album and single releases and for their work with artists such as George Michael, Peter Gabriel, Sting, Jamiroquai, Hans Zimmer and Swing Out Sister to name a few, along with Linda’s brother Paul (Jimmy Somerville, Beloved and The Banderas) and another brother Keith appears on guitar. Jim Cregan (Rod Stewart, Cockney Rebel, Family) who also co-produced some of Linda’s albums and was married to Linda, will be joining us on guitar. James Ahwai (son of Linda’s longtime collaborator and friend Robert Ahwai) on bass.

This would not be a celebration of Linda Lewis without the rich stories of her magnificent life being brought to audiences by the people who knew and loved her. The story of Linda Lewis is a true British success story: born Linda Ann Fredericks in 1950s post-war docklands of East London to a mixed Black Caribbean and white British family, Linda rose to fame in the early 1970s to become the first Black-British singer-songwriter to enter the UK charts. Linda's music spanned several decades and her unique blend of folk, soul, reggae, funk and pop could not easily be defined, which set her apart from her contemporaries. Her huge talent and soulful voice was sought by the legendary Clive Davis who signed her to his label Arista in 1975 and this led to Linda’s biggest hit of that decade.

Having released her first single in 1967 and appearing at the first Glastonbury Fayre festival in 1971, Linda broke free of her working class roots to collaborate with other artists of her generation, such as David Bowie, Cat Stevens, Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, and John Martyn. Linda also toured the world to promote many of her nine studio albums before reaching a new audience in the 1990s.

The Linda Lewis Songbook Volume.1 will be an unmissable evening of song, laughter, love and loss.

BAND LINE-UP: Shirley Lewis (vocals); Dee Lewis Clay (vocals); Paul Jason Fredericks (vocals); special guest Jim Cregan (guitar); Keith Fredericks (guitar); James Ahwai (bass); other members tbc