MANY performers call it a day after five decades on stage – but Elkie Brooks never liked to conform.

Far from taking things easy, the singer chose to celebrate her 70th birthday with a UK tour and will roll into the Wyvern Theatre tonight.

Giving up after years fighting to remain on top was not an option, “It never ever entered my mind,” she said. “If you’ve got reasonably good fitness levels there is no reason why you can’t carry on for a long time.

“I’m nearly 70, it’s my 55th year in the business and I’ve still got a long way to go.

“It’s not an easy industry, the music business. When I got pregnant with my son Jay in 1978, I can remember a head of my record company say to my management ‘It’s the end of her career’.

“But I carried on. I was not going to cave in. I was on the road, pregnant with Jay until two weeks before he was born.”

Failing to achieve the success she was promised after winning a reality type show at Manchester's Palace Theatre at 15, Elkie’s career was finally sent back on track when she met jazzman Humphrey Lyttelton. Humph invited her to be the guest vocalist with his renowned band and, with him, she came into her own and found her way.

Her relationship with Humph would last for the rest of his life. They went on to produce albums and perform together on and off for more than 40 years.

She joined the Rock/Jazz fusion band Dada which became Vinegar Joe.

In 1981 her album Pearls became the biggest selling by a British female artist in the UK and she became known as the British Queen Of The Blues.

Elkie Brooks will be at the Wyvern Theatre tonight at 7.30pm.

 Tickets to see Elkie Brooks at The Wyvern cost £24 and are available on 01793 524 481 or at www.swindontheatres.co.uk