BETTE Midler and Neil Diamond are both to play the Leeds First Direct Arena next July.

The Divine Miss M will be returning to British stages for the first time in 35 years – mirroring the hiatus that Kate Bush ended in August – having already announced a North American tour to accompany this autumn’s release of her album It’s The Girls!

Her July 15 show will combine material through the Midler years with highlights from her new tribute to girl groups, from the Second World War harmonies of The Andrews Sisters, through the Sixties’ glory days of The Supremes, The Ronettes and The Shangri-Las, to 1990s’ R&B hit makers TLC.

“A long time ago I fell in love with voices in harmony,” says Bette. “In particular, the sound of female voices singing together. There were so many great girl groups in those days, I still listen as avidly as I ever did. TIt’s The Girls! is a small attempt to honour them for all the joy they brought to me and the world.”

The 2015 Neil Diamond Tour comes on the back of the October 20 release of his latest studio album, Melody Road, and he will play Leeds on July 21 as part of the European leg of 12 cities.

Midler tickets go on sale at 9am tomorrow at firstdirectarena.com, while Diamond tickets were released yesterday.

Win Bette’s album

Courtesy of East West Records/Warner Music UK, we have three CDs of Bette Midler’s It’s The Girls! to be won.

Question: Who had the original hit with Waterfalls in 1994?

Send your answer with your name, address and daytime phone number by email to charles.hutchinson@thepress.co.uk, by next Friday, November 28. Usual competition rules apply.