Shirley Bassey is a British vocalist who became famous after performing songs for famous films. Possesses impeccable hearing and voice. Received the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Biography
Early period
Shirley Bassey was born in Wales on January 8, 1937. His father was Nigerian. Mother is English. In addition to Shirley, the family had 6 more children. The parents separated when the girl was only 2 years old. She was the youngest child.
At the age of 7, Shirley went to Murland School. She studied well, was drawn to creativity. She did not miss more than one concert, performed vocal compositions. Her idol was singer Al Jolson. The girl tried to adopt his musical style.
It was hard for my mother to support her family. At the age of 15, Shirley had to leave school to work as a packer. In the evenings, the young singer performed in clubs for small fees.
In 1953, Bassey performed in the musical "Memories of Jolson" dedicated to the work of Al Johnson.
At 17, the girl gave birth to a daughter, Sharon. There was practically no time to recover the body, Shirley was forced to go to work as a waitress.
Career
In 1955, Bassey received an offer to continue her vocal career. It was made by Michael Sullivan. Shirley agreed. She worked on the stage.
A year later, Shirley was invited to the Al Reed Show. The artist's talent attracted the interest of producer Joni Franz. A contract was signed.
In the winter of 1956, the singer's debut single was released. It became a hit. Like Shirley's Jamaican song.
In 1958 the vocalist presented 2 songs: "As I Love You", "Hands Across The Sea". Later, the compositions hit the first lines of popular charts.
In 1959, the debut album "The Bewitching Miss Bassey" was released. It includes works created under a contract with Philips.
The next contract was with EMI Columbia.
Test of Glory
In the early 60s, Shirley recorded a number of new hits that conquered the British. The number of fans has grown significantly. Fans caught Bassey at every turn, trying to get an autograph. The girl did not refuse anyone and even admitted more than once that fame makes her happy.
In 1963, the singer began collaborating with George Martin, who had worked with The Beatles for many years.
A year later, the artist's musical composition hit the first line of the American charts. The James Bond song made her famous all over the world.
Bassey began to be invited to participate in American television projects.
In the winter of 1964, the singer gave her debut concert at Carnegie Hall.
After 3 years, Bassey signed a contract with United Artists. 4 new records did not cause widespread enthusiasm.
In the summer of 1970, the album "Something", recorded in a style unusual for the singer, regained its former success. This disc became the most demanded in her career as a vocalist.
In 1971, Bassey sang a song for the new Bond film.
Beginning in 1983, Shirley began giving charity concerts.
In 1999, Queen Elizabeth II awarded Bassey the Order of the British Empire and gave her the title of Dame Commander. After that, the performer was often invited to the palace.
When Shirley celebrated 42 years of creative activity, she was named the most successful artist in the UK.
Personal life
Bassey entered into her first marriage with producer Kenneth Hume, who did not hide his homosexual orientation.
The family existed for 4 years. The couple parted as friends. 2 years after the divorce, Kenneth committed suicide.
Shirley married producer Sergio Novak. The couple lived together for 9 years.
In 1984, a tragedy struck the singer's life. At the age of 22, her second daughter died. The girl threw herself off a bridge in Bristol, but her mother does not believe that Samantha could decide to commit suicide.
Bassey could not recover from her loss for a long time, but nevertheless she found the strength and continued her concert activity.
