She wrote and sang one of the UK’s all-time favourite ballads, and later this month Judie Tzuke will perform for the people of Bermuda at the John Lennon tribute concert in the Botanical Gardens.Ms Tzuke, who is married to Bermudian musician and record producer Paul Muggleton, is looking forward to seeing Bermuda again. She’ll be accompanied by her daughters Bailey and Tallula who, following in her musical footsteps, are also lined up to perform at the tribute concert on September 21.She has recorded John Lennon’s ‘Love’ for the ‘Bermuda Lennon’ double CD, which will be released on the day of the concert.Ms Tzuke’s biggest hit ‘Stay With Me Till Dawn’, reached the top 20 in the UK in 1979 and stayed in the charts for almost four months. She went on to tour the US with Elton John and was a headline act at the famous Glastonbury music festival in 1982.In a nationwide poll conducted by BBC Radio 2 in the UK to find the nation’s top 50 favourite British songs recorded since Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the Throne, ‘Stay With Me Till Dawn’ came in at No. 39.It was early in her career that she met her future husband Paul Muggleton, who was an original member of Bermudian rock and roll band The Savages and the Bermuda Jam. In the mid-1970s he was living in England and performing with a group called Omaha Sheriff.Both Omaha Sheriff and Ms Tzuke were signed to the Good Earth record label. Guitarist Mr Muggleton went on to join Ms Tzuke’s band.Securing a contract with Elton John’s Rocket Records, Ms Tzuke’s second release was ‘Stay With Me Till Dawn’. At the time the UK music scene was in the grip of punk rock, and Ms Tzuke wondered if her gentle ballad would pick up much interest.“Punk was just coming about, so I thought it had no chance to do anything, but funny enough I still have people who like me that were from that era and some of them were punks, which I’m quite chuffed about,” she said.“My audience was always quite confused because my live stuff was quite heavy and I developed a bit of a rock audience, but they were always a bit unsure because the general public knew me as a ballad singer through ‘Stay With Me Till Dawn.’“So I had a few punk people, quite a lot of rock people who had all their jackets on with heavy metal bands on the outside and my name was written in small letters on the inside because they weren’t quite sure if I was acceptable or not, but I did come second in Kerrang rock magazine as second best girl singer to Alannah Myles.”Touring the US with Elton John in 1981 was another career highlight, although a major problem when Elton John switched his record distribution deal to another label during the tour. Ms Tzuke was still with the other record company who, annoyed by Elton John’s decision, withdrew all tour support for her.“I did a fantastic tour and I had a lovely time, but there was no press or records in the shops,” she said.“I played Central Park with Elton in front of 450,000 people. I drank whisky with Elton before I went on.”Ms Tzuke continues to release albums, and went on tour earlier this year. She now spends a lot of time working with young artists and songwriting for them.Tony Brannon, who is co-ordinating the John Lennon tribute events alongside Michael Freisenbruch, is a good friend of her husband Paul Muggleton, invited her to record a song for the CD and perform at the concert. Mr Muggleton has produced and played on a number of the tribute CD recordings.“I’ve always been a fan of the Beatles, and John Lennon and George Harrison were my favourites,” said Ms Tzuke.“‘Love’ is a gorgeous song. It was fun to sing and try and give it some of my own atmosphere. It did feel quite magical. I felt like it was a song of mine and felt quite comfortable with it.”Her daughters Bailey and Tallula have also embarked on music careers. Bailey featured on a top 10 chart hit in the UK as a vocalist on Freemasons’ record ‘Uninvited’.The sisters have recorded Mr Lennon’s ‘Oh My Love’ for the tribute CD and will sing at the concert. Ms Tzuke says she and her daughters also hope to perform a third Lennon song together at the event.The concert and CD celebrate Mr Lennon’s connection with the Island. The former Beatle spent a two-month vacation in Bermuda in the summer of 1980 writing what became his final songs. His November 1980 album ‘Double Fantasy’ was named after a flower in the Botanical Gardens.Mr Lennon was shot dead outside his New York apartment in December 1980.The tribute concert will see the release of the double CD of tribute songs and a new book detailing Mr Lennon’s stay in Bermuda.Other artists lined up to perform at the concert include Heather Nova, Maxi Priest, Biggie Irie and veteran Roy Young, who played with the Beatles in the early 1960s. Concert tickets are still available, starting at $50.Mr Brannon is inviting companies and corporations to book all-inclusive tables at the event, which is raising money for charities.Tickets are available at www.ptix.bmUseful website: www.doublefantasybermuda.com