With a repertoire stretching back an incredible 50 years, there will be no shortage of material when Kiki Dee makes her welcome return to The Stables on November 19.
She will be joined by musical partner Carmelo Luggeri and promises material covering the whole of Kiki's incredible career - from her days working as a backing singer for artists including Dusty Springfield to that worldwide smash with Elton John, Don't Go Breaking My Heart.
But it won't be a show only dealing in fantastic nostalgia - Kiki will keep it in the current too, playing material from her current album with Carmelo, A Place Where I Can Go.
From her collaborations with Julian Lennon and Bill Wyman to recordings and work with artists including Paul Rodgers, Andy Williams and Chris Rea, her career has been deliciously diverse, and also includes some winning West End performances. And she's not done yet...thankfully.
Kiki went On Track with Total MK and shared her musical passions...
The song that first awakened your musical senses
Brenda Lee with Sweet Nothings, and Fats Domino's Blueberry Hill spring to mind.
My brother was seven years older than me and a real rock and Roller (born in 1939) he would play these tracks on vinyl and I loved them! Plus watching the stylus of the record player at home in Bradford, Magic!
Physical or digital - how do you take your music?
These days physical as I love under produced music with lots of lovely spaces ! I like to hear the silences as well as the sounds , make sense?
I love the Albums Johnny Cash did in the 90s produced by Rick Rubin and called The American series.
The first time you thought 'Music - this is the job for me'
I decided on a music career very young , around the age of 12 , it seemed like a great option as I could sing in tune and my education was not great!
I think I wanted to make my Dad proud of me and he loved to hear me sing! I won a lot of junior talent contests when we went on our holiday to the sea every August!
Your best on stage memory...
In 1976 when Don't go Breaking my Heart was going up the British charts I was playing a gig in Bradford my home town and at the end of the show the St George's Hall suddenly erupted !
I turned round and Elton was standing there all ready to sing the song!!!!
It was an amazing surprise and a lovely thing for him to turn up without telling me!
And the worst gig you've ever done
A Sunday morning in Sydney in the very early 70s when I went on stage after the stripper to an all male audience! The song I sung - Like a bridge over Troubled Water:
What more can I say?
What made you take up singing
I think a genuine love for music as a way to express myself, It was post war in the early 60s and everything seemed possible to my generation to the surprise of my parents who didn't have choices in their lives.
Which one song by another artist do you wish you'd have written
So many great songs I could choose , today I would like to have written Don't give up performed by Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel as I just heard it and was very moved!
Other than That any song by George Gershwin would do just fine.
And one - by yourself - which holds special significance
My first composition which my fans love titled Loving and Free in hindsight a song about the fears and frustrations of youth!
Had just signed to Elton John's label Rocket Records and he suggested I try to write some songs and I have loved the process ever since.
If you could step into the shoes of another musician, living or dead, who would it be and what would you do?
I would be Stevie Wonder for a day just to see how it feels to sing so beautifully, play multiple instruments and also write such great music.
It would also be fun to be on stage with Bob Marley as one of his backing singers!!
Are there any current influences you look to
I recently did 4 shows as a DJ for BBC Radio 2 and had to choose 50 tracks.
I decided to have a new artist section, a classical piece, a foreign language song and a musical theatre track so I guess I am constantly picking up influences from all around me.
And any genre of music that you simply can't stand?
I wouldn't buy trad Jazz although if it's from the heart that's okay! I can't stand formularised music with no soul.
Finally, plug your show at The Stables - what can we expect?
If you come to the Stables and you haven't seen Kiki Dee and Carmelo Luggeri you might be surprised at how eclectic our live music is!
We perform our own songs plus Kiki Dee tracks from the past and songs from the likes of Frank Sinatra and Joni Mitchell!
Please come and taste our semi acoustic musical journey!
To book tickets click here
