Bassey, Shirley (1937–)

views updated

Bassey, Shirley (1937–)

Welsh singer. Name variations: Dame Shirley Bassey. Born Shirley Veronica Bassey, Jan 8, 1937, in Cardiff, Wales; raised in Tiger Bay, a working-class area; dau. of a West Indian seaman who died when she was 2; m. Sergio Novak; m. Kenneth Hume; children: daughter who drowned (1985).

Made professional debut at 16 in the touring revue "Memories of Al Jolson"; had 1st major hit with "The Banana Boat Song"; had mega-hit with "Goldfinger" from the James Bond film of the same name (1964); also sang title songs for films Diamonds Are Forever (1971), Moonraker (1979) and La Passione (1996), among others; after 24 years, was back in the Top-40 charts with hit single "History Repeating" (1997), while singing with the Propellerheads. Awarded CBE (1993) and DBE (1999).