Beverley Craven

Infobox musical artist

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Name = Beverley Craven
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = singer_songwriter
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1963|6|28
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Died =
Spouse = Colin Campsie (Songwriter)
Instrument = Vocals / Piano
Genre = Pop/Rock
Occupation = Singer / Songwriter
Years_active = 1990 - present
Label(s) = Sony BMG/Epic
URL = http://www.beverleycraven.net/
Current_members =
Past_members =
Notable_instruments = Piano

Beverley Craven is a British singer-songwriter (born 28 June 1963 in Colombo, Sri Lanka). She had her greatest success in the early 1990s, and is best known for the hit "Promise Me".

Life and career

Beverley was born in Sri Lanka on June 28, 1963. Her family relocated back to the UK when she was 18 months old and settled in Hertfordshire.

Encouraged by her mother, an accomplished classical violinist, Beverley began taking piano lessons at the age of seven. She also proved to be a talented swimmer, going on to represent her county in national championships before deciding that her future lay in music.

After a brief stint at art college, Beverley left home at 18 and moved to London, intent on carving out a career in the music business. The next few years saw her stuggling to find the all-important break and between session work and pub gigs with various bands she made ends meet with a succession of jobs, working everywhere from McDonalds to what she describes as a "dodgy gentlemen's club"!

By the late 80s her career began to move in the right direction when soul legend Bobby Womack heard one of her demo tapes and offered her a job as a backing vocalist. Although she declined to sign with his label, Beverley went on to support Womack on a European tour.

Back in the UK, in 1988 she signed with manager John Glover and she was offered a recording contract with CBS Records. Unsure that she was ready for the pop treadmill, CBS sent Beverley to the States to develop her writing and performing skills before commencing work on her debut album.

When the Paul Samwell-Smith produced album, 'Beverley Craven', was finally released in 1990 it met with limited success outside the UK, and it wasn't until May 1991, following her first UK tour and the growing success of the single 'Promise Me' that the album really took off. Within a year it had gone double platinum and sold a million copies - to date it has sold more than two million copies worldwide.

'Promise Me' also became a huge hit, reaching number 3 on the UK singles chart and charting across Europe. In Poland, 'Promise Me' spent 67 weeks on the charts - the longest charting single ever. Further hits followed with 'Holding On', 'Woman To Woman' and 'Memories'.

Sold-out shows across the UK, Europe and the USA followed throughout 1991. This was also the year that Beverley met her future husband, singer and songwriter Colin Campsie, at a Tears For Fears concert in London.

In 1992 Beverley received a Brit Award for Best British Newcomer and was also nominated for Best British single and album of the year. Performing onstage at the awards ceremony she was eight months pregnant, and she gave birth to her first daughter, Mollie, in March of that year.

Beverley's second album, 'Love Scenes', was released in September 1993 and reached number 4 in the UK album charts, spawning the hit singles 'Love Scenes' and 'Mollie's Song'.

Beverley and Colin married in 1994 and their second child, Brenna, was born the following year, with third daughter Connie following in 1996.

Due to her family commitments Beverley took a break from the music scene before returning in 1999 with her third album 'Mixed Emotions', recorded at her home studios in London. The album was well-received but poorly promoted by the record company and despite a major UK tour it stalled at # 46 on the UK charts.

Disillusioned with the music industry, Beverley went into semi-retirement and concentrated on raising her family.

In 2004 she returned, making a handful of live concert appearances, but in 2005 she received devastating news when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Following treatment she was finally given the all-clear the following year.

Beverley played further live dates in 2006 and 2007 and has been busy working on her autobiography which she hopes to have published next year.

In addition to more concerts later this year Beverley is also planning a major 2008 tour to promote her long-awaited new album, called 'Close To Home', which she is currently in the process of recording and hopes to release in autumn 2008.

Discography

Albums

ingles

External links

* [http://www.beverleycraven.net/ Beverley Craven website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/beverleycravenmusic Official Myspace]
* [http://www.bebo.com/beverleycraven Official Bebo]