Craig David and Beverley Knight Confirmed for Windrush 75 Celebration at Royal Albert Hall

Craig David and Beverley Knight are among the very special guests confirmed for a night of celebration to mark 75 years since Windrush. The event at the Royal Albert Hall on 9 June is being curated and hosted by Trevor Nelson.

Other artists confirmed for the one-off show are saxophonist Yolanda Brown, poet Salena Godden, R&B group Loose Ends, calypsonian Tobago Crusoe, and 'G-folk' pioneer Hak Baker, whose acoustic music is rooted in grime.

Accompaniment will come from the Chineke! Orchestra, conducted by Chris Cameron.

Trevor Nelson said: "Windrush 75 at the Royal Albert Hall is shaping up to be a night to remember. I'm so excited by the stellar line-up we've put together, paying homage to the contribution of the West Indies to UK music and culture.

"I was thrilled to be asked to be part of the Windrush 75 celebrations as my parents were immigrants from St Lucia. Although I was born in Britain I am equally as proud of my Caribbean roots and am delighted to be hosting what should be an incredibly special night."

Patrick Vernon, convenor of the Windrush 75 network, said: "When those first Windrush pioneers arrived off the boat at Tilbury in 1948, few would have thought that 75 years later their contribution to Britain would be celebrated at the Royal Albert Hall. Black Britons have brought so much to UK music and every other area of culture and public life. This event is a fantastic addition to a year of celebrations for Windrush 75 that we can all take part in."

Matthew Todd, Director of Programming and Engagement at the Royal Albert Hall, said: "We're thrilled to announce Trevor's line-up for this historic celebration of Caribbean culture in Britain, which brings together established stars and cutting-edge artists, all of them trailblazers in their chosen fields."

The concert will capture the breadth of musical influence which the Windrush generation has had on British culture over the last 75 years, with performances including Loose Ends' "Hangin' on a String", Hak Baker's "Windrush Baby", and Craig David's "Fill Me In", as well as renditions of classic tracks like Lord Kitchener's "London is the Place for Me", Bob Marley's "Is this Love", and Goldie's "Inner City Life".

It will also be broadcast on BBC Radio 2, on Sunday 18 June, as part of the BBC's programming to mark the Windrush anniversary.

The 'Windrush generation' came to the UK from Caribbean countries between 1948 and 1971. The MV Empire Windrush had arrived in Tilbury on 22 June 1948, bringing workers from the Caribbean to help address a post-war labour shortage in the UK.

An allocation of subsidised tickets for the concert have been made available through community groups including the Windrush 75 network.

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