Craven desires

BACK in 1991 a beautiful song called Promise Me went top three in the UK charts, launching the career of its creator, singer/songwriter/pianist Beverley Craven.

Her eponymous album, from which it was lead track, also went top three, remained in the charts for a year and went on to shift a couple of million copies world wide.

The following year as flavour of the moment, she was nominated in three categories at the Brit Awards, played a series of high profile shows including a sell out Christmas concert at the Royal Albert Hall and, as well as revelling in new found motherhood, found time to write and record a follow up, top four album, Love Scenes, which spawned yet more hit singles.

However, by the mid/late Nineties, Beverley turned her back on it all to raise her three young daughters and has only now decided it's time to go back on the road.

"Five years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer which made me look at life differently," explains Beverley.

"I suddenly saw that one's time here is not open-ended, there is a certain urgency to it – and I realised life was there to be enjoyed, not simply to grind you down.

"Now that the kids are in their teens they've all got their own lives," she continues, "and I really feel like I've got my freedom back!

"As mum of three under-fives it was a real nightmare – I found it very difficult. But now all I'm required to do now is cook and ferry them around."

In fact, she's enjoying making music now more than ever.

"I really hate to say it and I don't want to sound ungrateful, but I was never able to enjoy my success at the time. It seemed to be work, work, work and no money for two to three years while everyone else collected it and took their share.

"And because I was flogging my guts out I wasn't doing it for the love. I'd arrive at TV studios, do back-to-back interviews, often be obliged to mime my songs, playing a piano that didn't even have strings, because they were technically unable to handle live transmissions.

"It might have been more fun as part of a band, but as a solo artist I'd spend night after night alone in a hotel room feeling very homesick…"

Now, the pressure's off. Without the push of a major label it's entirely down to Beverley to dictate the pace of her work load and she has created a real cottage industry from her home base in rural Buckinghamshire.

"At 46 I've been around the block and I realise no record label is going to want to touch me anyway," she says.

"Fortunately with the internet, I can make contact with people and let them know I'm here. My husband is my manager, I recorded my new songs at home, designed the art work on my computer got it pressed up locally and printed in Germany – and they're all stored in my garage!

"And I'm loving touring again – especially with this band, they're really special, so much fun, we can't stop laughing. They encourage me to take the mick out of them on stage then pretend to be so hurt."

The album, Close To Home, came about as a result of people wanting to take the new songs home after a show.

It features the lead track Rainbows, a beautiful piano led ballad with Beverley's gorgeous vulnerable vocal, and the deeply poignant Without Me, a song she penned for her daughters in the wake of her cancer diagnosis.

"When I played it to my husband for the first time, he just sat there and couldn't speak – and it seems to have a strong effect on quite a few people who have heard it. When I'm feeling strong enough at shows I tell people what it's about. I really think it's important to connect with the audience."

Beverley Craven will be playing The Watermark, Ivybridge on December 4.

Tickets cost £20 (£18 concessions) and are available from the box office on 01752 892220.

You can listen to Beverley's songs on www.myspace.com/beverleycravenmusic