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Oct 19 2011 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

SINGER/songwriter Jade Tremarco is picking up her guitar again after illness forced her to take a break from the Wirral music scene.

The 24-year-old from Oxton took her first steps into the music world at the tender age of 11 after her singer mum Diane let her try singing at her gigs.

She went on to meet some of Wirral’s best-known performers, including Rob Fennah and Gary Murphy, through Diane’s editorship and her own work at The Buz music magazine.

Performances around the borough followed and Jade also appeared in War of the Worlds: The Musical at the Floral Pavilion and Wirral’s annual guitar festival.

But she was forced to put performing on hold after having surgery to remove a 7 inch benign tumour from one of her ovaries.

After building up her strength, Jade is now starting to gig again and will be one of the artists performing at variety show Music with Laughter at the Liverpool Empire on Saturday.

She is also organising a jam night to help Diane, who is facing her own battle against ill health.

She told Day and Night: “I was really poorly and now I’m just starting to get back into it.

“Gigging really takes it out of you but it’s getting easier. It’s taken a year but I’m at that position now where I’m not drained all the time.”

Jade says her taste in music has changed considerably over the years and jokes she was a “pop princess” when she started singing.

“It was what every 11-year-old liked – Steps and Britney Spears!” she laughs.

“It’s evolved. I think I’m more funk, soul and blues but I’ve done lots of dance tracks – I’ve never been limited to one genre.”

Jade took part in the first Music with Laughter show in April and says the camararderie backstage is incredible.

This time around she will join the likes of The Christians, Sean Styles, Stevie Riks, Joe Wall, Delta Maid and former Holby City actor Mark Moraghan.

“When you gig with lots of different musicians you end up having these conversations about where they’ve come from, their history and influences.” she reveals.

“You learn so much.”

Next up for Jade is A Little Help From Her Friends, the jam night she has organised at Jack Rabbit Slims in Hoylake.

Money raised will go towards the cost of private treatment to help her mum Diane, who is suffering from a mystery illness which has left her with difficulty walking and breathing.

Jade says it will be a family Christmas at home because of Diane’s health but she has a host of gigs coming up – and travel plans.

She said: “I’ve got Music with Laughter, the event in November and some band gigs.

“I’d also like to travel and Nashville is the next place on my list. Maybe I should take a guitar and travel the world!”

l A Little Help From Her Friends is at Jack Rabbit Slims night onWednesday, November 23 from 7.30pm. Tickets are £5 from the Drawing Room in Oxton or on the door.

Tickets for Music with Laughter are available from liverpoolempire.org.uk or call ATG Tickets on 0844 871 3017.