CONNIE Lush is renowned for being one of the great contemporary blues voices and next week she will be returning to East Lancashire, one of her favourite stomping grounds, for a special charity fundraiser.

Connie and her band will be at Barnoldswick Music and Arts Centre next week to play a special show as part of the Concert for the Kids charity.

The charity, set up by promoter and musician Peter Barton who owns the venue, aims to raise money to provide essential equipment for the Alder Hay Children’s Hospital.

“I’ll be heading to Barnoldswick with the guys so we’ll have drums and guitars, so there will be some noise to be made,” laughed Connie. “It will just be nice to catch up with people and have a really fun evening.

“It’s always lovely when we go up to East Lancashire whether that’s for festivals or a gig. We often head that way when we have time off just to hang out too.”

Connie, a five-time winner of the best female vocalist category in the British Blues Awards, is certainly no stranger to East Lancashire. She got get first big break being asked to play at the Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival in Colne and has returned many times since.

Last year she released the album Renaissance to great critical acclaim but recently she’s been experimenting with her music. “I’ve gone off piste a bit this year,” she said. “Recently I’ve been writing with a friend of mine who plays cello so it’s just been us two girls together just seeing how that goes. The cello is beautiful, it has the power to make you cry.”

Connie has also done some vocals for other songwriters.

“I’ve gone off page this year,” said Connie. “It’s been nice rather than just doing the whole Connie Lush thing constantly. Sometimes you just need to do that.

“It wasn’t intentional it just seemed to happen but I’m enjoying doing different things and going with the flow.”

Connie Lush Band with Clearwater Creedence Revived, Barnoldswick Music and Arts Centre, Thursday, July 27. Details from 01282 813374 or barnoldswickmusicandarts centre.com