FOR many parents, the days of going out to enjoy live music may have become a long and distant memory consigned to the days before you became a family. However, Saffron Walden singer-song writer and devoted mother Joanna Eden thinks she has come up with t

FOR many parents, the days of going out to enjoy live music may have become a long and distant memory consigned to the days before you became a family.

However, Saffron Walden singer-song writer and devoted mother Joanna Eden thinks she has come up with the ideal solution and is currently playing a UK tour of leisure centres offering crèche facilities while performing free of charge to mums and dads.

"There's only so much 'Old MacDonald' anyone can take," said Joanna. "I know, I've been there!"

This means she's singing to her contemporaries; the parents who get out twice a year for birthdays and Valentine's Day.

"The songs are about being a daughter, a child, a lover; Parents just seem to get my music. Either that or they're too tired to leave!" said Ms Eden with a smile.

She is playing two gigs in the area. This first will be at Saffron Walden's Lord Butler Leisure Centre tomorrow (Friday), from 11am. On Monday May 21 she will be performing at Great Dunmow Leisure Centre at 10.15am and says that Leisure Connection, the managing company of the two leisure centres, have really got behind the project.

The over-whelming response to Joanna's self-penned album My Open Eye has already led to some serious gigs - like supporting Jamie Cullum and Nerina Pallot in front of an audience of 10,000.

Her newly raised profile has brought about a distribution deal, new management and the release of opening track Singing Out as a single on 26 March 2007.

She calls Singing Out a frustrated housewife's rant about "the 2.4 and 'have you met my wife?" but it's also a groovy little number with lyrics more challenging than you might expect from such a ditty.

Right now, Eden's having the time of her life and can't wait to get in the studio for her next album (her fourth) which has the working title of 'Having My Cake and Eat It'.

"Because that's how it feels; personal fulfilment, she said, adding: "Sleeps over-rated anyway."

Since her support slot for Jamie Cullum and Nerina Pallot at Audley End, Joanna's career has gone from strength to strength.

She has enjoyed BBC Radio 2 airplay and some serious press from Mojo.

With a new website www.joannaeden.com, nationwide release of her latest album and support from supermarket chains Joanna's feet have hardly touched the ground!