Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott, plus special guest Billy Bragg, are to appear at Sherwood Pines on 22nd June next year as part of Forest Live, the summer concert series organised by the Forestry Commission.

Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott’s latest album, Crooked Calypso, charted at number two, making it their highest release as a duo to date following on from two further top-five albums – What Have We Become and Wisdom, Laughter and Lines.

Paul Heaton, one of the UK’s most successful songwriters with some 10 million album sales under his belt, first came to public attention in the early 1980s as front man of Hull-based indie poppers The Housemartins, best known for their third single Happy Hour and their number one acapella Isley Broothers cover Caravan Of Love.

In 1988 Heaton formed The Beautiful South, who released 10 hugely successful albums. Jacqui Abbott was lead vocalist in The Beautiful South from 1994 to 2000 and she sang many of their signature hits, including Rotterdam, Perfect 10, Don’t Marry Her and Dream A Little Dream.

The Forest Live gig will see them play material from their albums as a duo and songs from The Beautiful South and the Housemartins.