Biography

Shirley Bassey was born in Tiger Bay, Cardiff, Wales, and raised in the nearby working class neighborhood of Splott. Her mother was originally from Yorkshire, and her father was a Nigerian seaman who left the family when she was less than two. She later helped to support her family by working in an Enamelware factory. She made her professional debut at 16 appearing in a touring revue "Memories of Al Jolson". Her first major hit was "The Banana Boat Song," and she later sang "Goldfinger" in the James Bond movie Goldfinger (1964). Her younger daughter died of drowning in 1985. She currently lives in Monte Carlo.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Mike McKinley <alovelyway@aol.com>

Bassey left school early in 1952. She worked in a sausage factory to earn a living. In 1955 she was discovered while performing at the Astor Club in London. Previously she sang mainly in bars and pubs. In the 1950s she made her first television appearance in comedian Al Read's Christmas show in London. She later became a regular on British television shows. "The Banana Boat Song" became her first single in 1957. In the 1960s she left England and moved to Las Vegas. From 1961 to 1965 she was married to Kenneth Hume. She achieved her worldwide breakthrough in 1964 when she sang the theme song to the James Bond film "Goldfinger". She was then hired twice more in 1971 and 1979 for the title song of the subsequent James Bond productions "Diamonds are Forever" and "Moonraker". No other performer has sung the theme song more than once in a Bond film. In 1968 she married Sergio Novak. She became the mother of three children and her marriage to Novak ended in divorce in 1979.

In April 1970 she scored a worldwide hit with her cover version of the Beatles song "Something". In 1977, Shirley Bassey was honored with a Brit Award for her works as the best soloist of the last 50 years. During her 50-year presence in show business, Shirley Bassey became one of the most successful and popular singers in the world. The most striking singing feature is her vocal power and her distinctive timbre. The singer underlines her sophisticated appearance with majestic stage clothes. During her live performances, her entire appearance represented glitz and glamor. Her interpretations of a variety of classic songs can be described as dramatic. Bassey sublimated songs with rousing arrangements of current chart hits. She also knew how to have an impact across generations and be musically active.

In 1987 she teamed up with the Swiss electronic pop duo "yello" and produced the top hit "The Rhythm Divine". In 1998 she produced the title song of the film "La Passione" together with Chris Rea. In the same year she worked with the British big beat heroes "Propellerheads", which resulted in the hit song "History Repeating", which became a bestseller in the European club scene. In December 1999 she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II. Her album "Diamonds Are Forever - The Remix Album" was released in 2000, a musical retrospective of her decades-long career. The album was a remix of old songs mixed by well-known musicians. After 2003's "Thank You for the Years," she released the studio album "Get the Party Started" in 2007. The album "The Performance" followed in 2009. Privately, she settled in Monaco.

Bassey performed at the Queen's request as part of the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the throne (2012) and the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II (2016). At both invitations she sang the Bond theme "Diamonds Are Forever". Meanwhile, "Hello Like Before" was released in 2014, their 44th studio album. This makes her one of the most productive artists on the international music scene.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Christian_Wolfgang_Barth