Jillian Winter – songstress in her own right who’ll you can often see singing her way around the local music circuit with her acoustic guitar – also has a passion for singing Barbra Streisand songs. What’s more, she can sing them. Really sing them.

She even looks a little like the legendary actress and singer, who shot to fame with award winning films such as Funny Girl and major hits including the colossal disco duet No More Tears (Enough Is Enough), which she sang with Donna Summer.

On Thursday, October 29, you can see Jillian putting on a performance paying homage to her idol, “in the style of the great lady”. It will take place at the Railway Hotel, in Southend.

Jillian first became fascinated by Barbra’s talents as a teenager. “I saw Funny Girl when I was about 19 and I was shocked! Barbra’s voice had a raw clear power that just brought me to tears” she said.

“At the time my voice was very timid though, so I never dreamt then that I could ever sing like her but I desired it very much.

“Then a couple of years ago I’d had a bit to drink at an evening in with the girls, and a couple of us were Barbra lovers, so we put on a CD and started singing.

“I sang along and the others told me I could sing like her. It was by no means a polished performance but it lit a fire to sing Barbra’s songs and do them proud.”

When asked what it is about Barbra that she loves so much, Jillian added: “I love her honesty, her sensitivity and shyness. I love her strength and her drive and her tenacity.

“She has some all time legendary performances recorded both live and in the studio, she has mastered her voice and cultivated her talent through six decades and that deserves massive respect.”

Jillian will be covering Barbra’s material from the Sixties and Seventies. And it’s said that audiences should not expect this to be a “mere tribute night or souped up karaoke”, because the chosen songs have “a depth and emotion that need real understanding and truth to perform”.

“It’s impossible to name a favourite song I have of Barbra’s, but the one that makes me cry every time is the finale song from the film Yentl, called Piece of Sky. I would die happy if I could sing that one and do it justice.”

Katherine Lupino is the special guest on the evening, billed as a “ real life Jessica Rabbit with all the sass of a Zigfeld girl” singing sultry classics like, Why Don't You do Right and Cry Me a River.

Piano accompaniment is by Simon Campbell.

The gig takes place from 8pm the pub in Clifftown Road.

Entry is free.