Singer Bet Hannah

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I just recently finished reading British musician Joe Jackson’s 2000 autobiography A Cure For Gravity. Although I found it to be an enjoyable read, I was quite surprised to come across a Hannah connection!

Although most of us think of his hits from the 1980s such as Is She Really Going Out With Him? and Steppin’ Out, earlier in his career he was a backup musician for a cabaret duo called Koffee n Kreme.

Half of Koffee n Kreme was singer Lance Ellington (born 1957), son of renowned British musician Ray Ellington.  The other half was Beth (“Bet”) Hannah (c. 1951 – mid 1980s).

Beth hailed from Glasgow, but little is known about her life before and after her singing partnership with Lance. She originally wanted to be a nurse, but as a teenager, she bought a guitar and entered the Glasgow music circuit playing folk songs at clubs, hotels and restaurants. Eventually she moved south and sung in a band at the Locarno Ballroom in Portsmouth.  Three years into the job, Lance joined the band. A couple of years later, in the mid 1970s, their bandleader/manager encouraged them to strike out on their own as a duo.

In 1977, after winning the New Faces final, Koffee n Kreme released a 45 record with two singles, My World Keeps Getting Smaller Everyday / Sunshine and Roses (B side). That same year, they played for the Queen Mother at the London Palladium as one of the acts for the “Fall in the Stars” charity concert. In 1979, they were featured on an episode of the British show Star Treatment.

Unfortunately, Bet died soon after, apparently in the 1980s.  Lance went on to have a successful career working with some big names like Sting and George Michael.

Sources and for further reading / viewing

Images © Mick Cooper, Stage Media Company, Independent Broadcasting Authority, TV Times