THREE is Kate Hardcastle's lucky number.
Which is pretty fitting really, because the Holywell Green marketing director turns 33 this year and is just putting together the finishing touches to her third Charity Soul & Motown Revue at the Victoria Theatre, Halifax.
As far as Kate's concerned this year's concert is the "biggie". It's the one that will knock spots off soul fans everywhere and at the same time raise at least £10,000 for three charities.
The star of the show is non other than the Queen of Southern Soul, Candi Staton. It's taken two years for Kate to persuade the 65-year-old to come to Yorkshire. It's her first visit to Calderdale and not surprisingly tickets for the show on Saturday, September 26 are already being snapped up.
Candi, who is best known for her 1976 disco hit Young Hearts Run Free has worked with some of soul's great names such as Ray Charles and Al Green and enjoyed a career spanning 40 years.
She has had numerous chart hits including Destiny, Nights On Broadway, Honest I Do Love You, When You Wake Up Tomorrow, Victim and You Got The Love and can still pull in the crowds.
Her last UK tour in 2007 was a sell-out and Kate was among the crowds watching her perform at the Manchester Evening News Area. "Her vocal abilities are still as good as they ever were. She sounds amazing and is loved by a new generation because her hits are being remixed in clubs all over Britain. I am absolutely thrilled she is coming to Calderdale," says Kate.
Sharing the stage with her are two British soul singers, the legendary Jaki Graham who appeared at last year's show, and newcomer, X Factor star Laura White of Bolton.
Kate, who fronts her own band, The Charity Dreamgirls, with Hannah Cygan Wrobleski and Kate Peters, will be performing on the night along with another X Factor singer, Peter Jones.
Six teenage girls from Calderdale who won auditions to become the Dreamstars (the next generation of Dreamgirls) will also be singing, as will last year's compare, actor Scott Wright, who has appeared in Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Shameless, with his band. Scott is an accomplished singer and once appeared in Celebrity Stars in Your Eyes as George Michael.
Fronting the show this year are entrepreneur and nightclub owner, Terry George of Holywell Green and entertainer Sam Dunkley of York. "We have got a fantastic line up and it would be great if the show was a sell-out and we could hit the £10,000 mark," says Kate who set up The Charity Dreamgirls, which is backed by 25 supporters, to help local and national charities.
The 2009 charities are: Homestart which supports Calderdale families struggling to cope; Help For Heroes, an organisation formed to help those wounded in Britain's current conflicts, and The Alzheimer's Society.
Kate has already started to take her Charity Dreamgirls nationwide. Earlier this year the Dreamgirls supported by the Dreamstars, Jaki Graham and Laura White put on concerts at Europe's largest shopping centre, The Trafford Centre, Manchester, before 10,000. They have been invited back and will be on stage again on October 10 and 11.
Next year there are plans for jazz, Bollywood and disco Dreamgirl events with two already planned in Bradford and London.
Tickets for the Victoria Theatre concert start at £12.50 and are on sale now at the theatre box office.
Anyone who wants more details can visit www.charitydream
girls.co.uk
