Holly Penfield is to play at the Cockpit Theatre on November 22 [Richard Lipmam]

HOLLY Penfield has enjoyed a decades-long music career that has taken her around the world playing more than 3,000 gigs alongside legendary artists like John Lee Hooker, John Mellencamp and Michael Jackson.

The singer-songwriter held a residency at the Savoy Hotel and performed as a jazz cabaret singer in front of former prime minister Margaret Thatcher – at Stringfellows strip club in the West End.

On Wednesday, for one night only, she will perform Tree Woman Tales songs at the Cockpit Theatre in Paddington.

The show tells the story of her life and packs a strong message of hope for young people who might be struggling with mental health and self-harm.

Ms Penfield told Extra: “It’s a collection of songs I’ve written over the years. Funny enough, I’ve been up to 3am trying to put it into definite words. It’s based on the theme of nature and human nature, how we get all sort of tangled up in beautiful ways, and dark ways.

“It goes down dark alleys. But it is uplifting. The songs are about writing myself out of the snake pit of life. In love with nature and wanting to be happy.”

The rock, blues and pop genre show won rave reviews when it appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival during a 23-night run in the summer.

Ms Penfield, who describes herself as “69 forever”, said: “I’ve been fired before for doing radical and anarchic things, by the venues.

“I always live dangerously with my audience. The Savoy had all these rules and regulations. But now I can be scandalous.

“It’s the thing I do best. I am a great entertainer. I can go from rock’n’roll to jazz cabaret.

“My audience is god. I will do anything to make people happy.”

Ms Penfield has spoken openly how she self-harmed as a teenager.

She said: “I confess that as a teenager I started cutting myself. I’m very open about that. I managed to get over that.

“The message of the show is to never give up on your dreams no matter how mentally ill you become. Or how unhappy you are. You must keep going.”

Born in San Francisco, she said she joined her first rock band aged 14, turning professional at 17 after training with famous coaches and producers.

She came to London in search of a record deal and has lived here ever since.

Ms Penfield is married to Ian Ritchie, a music composer, who produced albums by Pink Floyd founder, Roger Waters.

Recalling meeting Margaret Thatcher, she said: “It was a charity event and she was auctioning off a big portrait of herself.

“I was playing jazz stuff cabaret. She came up to me and said ‘well done Holly, I like what you do’.”

• Tickets for Tree Woman Tales – A Musical Adventure, on November 22, are available at the Cockpit Theatre website.