Tony Cummings reports on the Jamaican-born, UK-based veteran performer of R&B, pop and now gospel, RUBY TURNER

Ruby: I don't think like that. I have been fortunate to cover some great songs and that's good enough for me. We all want to sing and do our very best. I consider myself very much still a work in progress - there is so much more to achieve. It's very exciting not knowing what is going to happen next. So I keep working and singing and enjoying the gift.

Tony: Not living in London, I didn't get to see the Simply Heavenly musical. Tell me a bit about it.

Ruby: It was a great piece of work. Langston Hughes is one of the great African/American writers. I really enjoyed that job. It was a great cast and my leading man was the wonderful Clive Rowe. Sadly with so much going on with my other job theatre has to take a back seat right now.

Tony: You've done a fair bit of guesting on other people's albums. Do you ever get asked to sing material which conflicts with your Christian faith?

Ruby: Fortunately I have never been asked to do anything that, in my opinion, would compromise my beliefs. I have however been asked to read scripts that were a bit risky. But you just have to be up front about things and ask if it can be done another way.

Tony: What spiritual lesson have you learned in the last year or two?

Ruby: Be careful of the company you keep. Try to discern the wolves in sheep's clothing. This is a business that attracts people who just want to be with you for the life-style, whatever that means. It's hard to know who to trust so you have to be on your guard at all times.