Special Guest: Melissa Ferrick
Three time Grammy Nominee Joan Armatrading has come a long way since her birth in the West Indies and her upbringing in Birmingham. With 20 stunning albums to her credit, Joan's subtle and sublime music has touched millions of people all over the world. Known as a true craftsman, her distinctive vocals and consummate musicianship – she has arranged as well as played every instrument, with the exception of drums on her forthcoming album – have led to unanimous, widespread and, perhaps most importantly, consistent critical acclaim. Effortlessly eclectic, her sound has ranged from true soul to sophisticated pop driven by her passionate guitar.

In musical terms Joan Armatrading has achieved far more than most performers even dream of – she has played, and still does, with some of the finest musicians around. She has received countless gold, platinum and silver discs, she has been nominated for the Brit Award she has been the recipient of a highly coveted Ivor Novello Award, and figured large in VH1's Top 100 voted poll The Most Influential Woman In Rock…..But more than that Joan has been honoured by the Queen and is one of the few female artists ever to receive an MBE. In addition, she has performed for Nelson Mandela, been given the key to Sydney, is Patron of various charities, has presented and continues to present BBC radio 4 and radio 2 series.