About this Event
We welcome former lead singer from the Beautiful South who will be bringing her new band, Southern Beauty to Temperance. They will be playing Beautiful South songs, in an avant-garde jazz style together with other classic jazz standards. This will be a very special evening and another not to be missed.
Alison Wheeler has carved out a stellar reputation for herself in the fiercely competitive music industry through her exceptional vocals, unparalleled song-writing abilities, and captivating stage presence that mesmerises fans across the globe. Hailing from Daventry, England, Alison's love for music was ingrained in her from a young age by her parents, who introduced her to a wide array of music genres ranging from pop and rock to jazz and blues.
Alison's music career kicked off at Cambridge University, where she formed a covers band called Melt City with successful record producer - Hal Ritson of The Young Punx and Kev Dowd of Lowbrow & Topers. Moving to London in 1995, she joined the indie band Junk (with founding member of The South - Phil Barton), where she quickly gained a reputation on the Camden and Islington gig circuit. This culminated in her joining the girl band Virginia in 1998, which led to appearances on BBC Radio, TV shows in Northern Ireland, and success in the US airplay charts.
In 2002, Alison's work with London gospel band Citizen K brought her to the attention of Dave Hemingway of the Beautiful South. She collaborated with Hemingway on his solo project, and he recommended her to Paul Heaton, the driving force behind the Beautiful South, to replace departed band member Jacqui Abbott. With the release of "Gaze" in 2003, Alison became a permanent member of the Beautiful South and during her time with the band she headlined Glastonbury Festival, supported Robbie Williams at Croke Park, toured the world and appeared on numerous TV & Radio shows in the UK.
When The Beautiful South split in 2007 due to ‘music similarities’, The South rose from it’s embers and over the past 14 years they have continued to celebrate the sound of The Beautiful South with Alison fronting the band over hundreds of performances throughout the UK and Europe.
Alison continues to write, collaborate and perform in several successful projects, including The South, Topers, Action Amanda (with a no.1 on the iTunes Charts), and Southern Beauty.
She has built a loyal fan base and earned critical acclaim for her work. Despite her numerous triumphs, Alison remains grounded and focused on her music, always striving to connect deeply with her listeners. She continues to explore new sounds and collaborations, and recently launched Southern Beauty to reinterpret the Beautiful South's back catalogue in an avant-garde jazz style intertwined with other classic jazz standards. Alison is hoping to prolong the life of these wonderful songs and at the same time maybe bring the songs to new audiences who might not necessarily know much of this infamous British institution.
Alison's versatility as a performer, combined with her immense talent, has made her a celebrated voice in British music, and her music career continues to flourish. She is a true artist who is deeply passionate about her craft, and her genuine love for music shines through in everything she does.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Temperance, 33 Bath Street, Leamington Spa, United Kingdom
GBP 20.00
