The Beautiful South was an English pop/rock group formed in 1988 by two former members of the
Hull group
the Housemartins—
Paul Heaton and
Dave Hemingway—both of whom performed lead and backing vocals. Other members throughout the band's tenure were former Housemartins roadie
Sean Welch (bass),
Dave Stead (drums) and
Dave Rotheray (guitar). After the band's first album (recorded as a quintet), they were joined by a succession of female vocalists, all of whom performed lead and backing vocals alongside Heaton and Hemingway –
Briana Corrigan for albums two and three after appearing as a guest vocalist on one, followed by
Jacqui Abbott for the fourth through seventh albums, and finally
Alison Wheeler for the final three Beautiful South albums.