VETERAN rocker Joan Armatrading returns to her hometown on her latest tour.

Joan, who was born in St Kitts in the West Indies, but brought up in Birmingham, will be playing the city's Symphony Hall on Monday, April 28, with a show at the GL1 in Gloucester scheduled for Friday, May 2.

She will be touring her latest album, Lovers Speak, which was released last month. Her 18th album in a career that has spanned more than 30 years and seen her play alongside some rock music greats, such as Mark Knopfler and the Police.

A songwriter since the age of 14, she released her debut album "Whatever's For Us" in 1972. Three years later, she signed to A&M and the career that followed witnessed such classic and memorable songs such as Love and Affection, Down To Zero, Drop the Pilot, and Me Myself I.

Recently, she became a Patron of Ukuza, which helps raise the cultural profile of South Africa, a country that has always been close to her heart.

She is also a huge admirer of Nelson Mandela and performed live for his 70th birthday at Wembley Stadium. In 1999, she wrote a special tribute song entitled The Messenger, and performed it for him when he visited Britain in 2000.

The recipient of an honorary degree from John Moores University in Liverpool, she added to this last December with a Doctorate in Music from the University of Birmingham and recently gained a BA Honours from the Open University, taking her final exam the day after her 2000 tour finished!

Of her latest album, she said: "I've wanted to make an album that reflected me for a while now and I think this does."

For more details on tickets, contact the box offices at Birmingham Symphony Hall or GL1.