BILL IS BACK ON SONG FOR CHARITY
BBC FOLK AWARD WINNER RETURNS TO MUSIC
“It was all a bit raw for a while”
BILL JONES
A BBC Folk Award winner who put her music career to one side to raise her three children is returning to the stage for a charity gig.
At the height of her career, from 1999 to 2004, Bill Jones picked up a Best Newcomer award at the BBC Folk Awards in 2001, released three albums and toured extensively across the UK, US and Japan.
But after the birth of her first son Dom, 14, she struggled to juggle the demands of touring with looking after a newborn and put her music on hold for her family.
Now, Bill, 44, who is also mum to Sean, 12, and Caden, five, is back doing what she loves and will be performing a charity gig at The Avenue, in Roker, Sunderland, on July 8, as well as recording a new album.
Bill, who works in a clerical role at South Tyneside District Hospital, is performing in aid of ARC, Antenatal Results and Choices, a charity which helped the mum and husband Chris through a traumatic chapter in their lives.
In 2011 they were dealt the devastating blow that their unborn baby had a severe genetic abnormality and they made the tough decision to end the pregnancy.
Bill, who lives in Fulwell, says the charity was a huge comfort and lifeline in a heart-breaking situation she never expected to face.
“We used the services of ARC a lot and they helped us ahugeamountinanon-directiveway.IalwayssaidIwanted to thank them. It was all a bit raw for a while, but now I feel ready to get back into music and help them through my charity gigs.”
Bill will perform alongside musicians JP Garde and Paul Stewart at The Avenue from 8pm on July 8. Tickets are £10 and are available from billJones@brickwallmusic.com. To download her single Caden’s Lullaby, search BillJonesForArc. bandcamp.com.