13September
Beverley Knight is probably the most famous person to come out of Wolverhampton in 1973. She was raised on a diet of gospel music and little else, and declined a recording deal when aged 17 so that she might study religion and philosophy at Wolverhampton Polytechnic. In 1994, she released an album on an independent label, and promotion for this event brought her to the record store where we were working. The event took place on a day we weren't behind the counter, and it wasn't the topic of conversation when we did go back.
A second issue of Flavour of the old school
crept into the top 40 in late 1995, but it wasn't until Beverley signed with Parlophone in 1998 that the hits started to flow. Made it back
and Greatest day
were modern soul classics, showing the performer's gospel roots without any attempt to preach. Proof that Knight's fame was no flash in the pan came with the protracted break to the new album - it wasn't until 2002 that Who I Am
emerged, and the slightly atypical single Shoulda woulda coulda
(music and lyrics: Beverley Knight, Craig Wiseman) became her first top ten hit. It was more silky, more dream-like than the rest of the album.
2004's Affirmation
was more deliberately commercial than her previous works, and that grated with some of the more snobbish fans of soul music, distraught that (gasp) honkies could like it, too. Lead single Come as you are
became her biggest hit, complete with a chorus that is a blast of air in the face; writing credits for the album's final single Keep this fire burning
include the Swedish hit-writing duo Marchell Remeeus and Robyn. You know, of Every heartbeat
fame. A singles collection came out in 2006, trailed by a cover of Piece of my heart
that wasn't to our taste. We reckon Beverley's at her best on the albums, a collection of singles doesn't do her justice.
