Beverley Craven’s farewell tour – on which she shares top billing with one of her musical influences, Judie Tzuke – is at Haslemere Hall on November 23.

And anyone with tickets for Strings Attached will not be disappointed, based on their show at The Haymarket in Basingstoke on October 28.

Perhaps it is a reflection of pop music that these two fine singer-songwriters have only one big hit each. It’s not often songs suited to piano, acoustic guitar and string quartet top the charts.

I saw Beverley at the height of her fame but went with no knowledge of Judie’s work. It was obvious from their styles how Beverley took inspiration from her, and the acoustic instruments and intimate atmosphere of the 400-seat theatre encouraged them to talk about themselves and their songs.     

Judie and Beverley saved their big moments for the finale. Judie sang beautifully and invited the audience to provide backing vocals at key moments of Stay With Me Till Dawn (number 16, 1979). The ovation at the end showed plenty of her fans were there.

Beverley politely asked her admirers not to join in with Promise Me (number 3, 1991) but treated them to a hilarious discourse about the romance-inducing nature of the song. And the gently soaring quality of her voice remains. It should be a great night in Haslemere.

Paul Coates