HAVING unexpectedly shot to fame in the 80s, things have been somewhat of a rollercoaster for Lorraine Silver.

Now known as a legend of the Northern Soul scene, Lorraine’s journey actually started when she was 13-years-old.

During the summer of 1964, Lorraine and a friend went up to Oxford Street in London where she found a Woolworth’s store with a “do-it-yourself singing booth.”

Never missing a chance, she deposited her two shillings into the recording machine and gave a hearty acapella version of Brian Hyland’s 'Sealed With A Kiss.'

Not leaving it there, she marched into PYE Records, in Marble Arch, with the disc and politely asked if anyone would like to listen to it.

After being caught up in the whirlwind of recording her first EP, the singer bounced from genre to genre until DJ Nick Gregg picked the song Lost Summer Love as one of his favourite Northern Soul songs later in 1988.

“When this came about it was a complete and utter shock, and I had to think what is Northern Soul? As I hadn’t really heard of it,” Lorraine told The Gazette.

“It turned out it was all the stuff I had been dancing to as a teenager, but then I had to consider how my song fit into it.

“So, there was a lot of investigating done on my part throughout the 80s.”

The singer explained this sudden thrust into the spotlight transformed her musical career, having previously been involved in the cabaret circuit.

She added: “At the time I was singing the ballads when I was growing up. But I have since met all the DJs and learnt the history and then in 2004, I released a record of the songs that I liked and put my spin on it.

“When the song was first put out into the world, once they discovered I was British and 13 when I recorded it, things just took off.

“A lot of the time these earlier soul artists were unknown, so when people found out who I was things just changed very quickly.”

Having fully immersed herself into the world of Northern Soul, Lorraine has gained a reputation in the scene, which now sees her performing with the Edwin Starr Band on a regular basis.

And it is this collaboration which brings her to Basingstoke on February 23.

Lorraine said: “It really was a lifetime dream and being able to do what I am doing now, performing with Edwin Starr’s original band is really like a fairytale.”

Lorraine said that once she has done her part in the show, she will be out with the crowd dancing in the aisle enjoying the party.