Dusty Springfield

Dusty Springfield was born Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien on April 16, 1939 in West Hampstead, London, England. She was the second child of Wallis Hunt, a tax accountant, and Sue Hunt, a cleaner. She had an elder sister, Sally, and four younger siblings, Peter, Timothy, David and Georgina. She attended Westerleigh School in Hastings and Wellington College in Berkshire. She was a keen sportsman, excelling in tennis and squash. She also developed a love for music and singing at an early age. She started her musical career in 1958 as a member of The Lana Sisters, a vocal trio that performed on various radio and television shows. In 1960, she left the group and joined her brother Tom and his friend Tim Feild to form The Springfields, a folk-pop trio that achieved success in the UK and the US with songs such as "Island of Dreams" and "Silver Threads and Golden Needles". Dusty adopted her stage name from the band's name and her natural hair colour. In 1963, Dusty embarked on a solo career and released her debut single "I Only Want to Be with You", which became a hit in the UK and the US. She soon established herself as one of the most popular female singers of the 1960s, with a distinctive mezzo-soprano voice and a glamorous image. She recorded songs by various composers, including Burt Bacharach, Carole King and Randy Newman. Some of her most famous songs include "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me", "Son of a Preacher Man", "The Look of Love" and "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself". She also sang duets with artists such as Tom Jones, Neil Diamond and Petula Clark. In 1968, Dusty moved to the US and recorded her masterpiece album Dusty in Memphis, which blended pop, soul and country music. The album received critical acclaim and is considered one of the greatest albums of all time. It featured the classic song "Son of a Preacher Man", which was later used in the film Pulp Fiction. Dusty also recorded the theme song for the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, "The Look of Love", which earned her an Oscar nomination. In the 1970s, Dusty's career declined due to personal problems, changing musical tastes and lack of promotion. She struggled with drug addiction, alcoholism and depression. She also faced difficulties with her sexuality, as she was bisexual in a time when homosexuality was still taboo. She moved to California and then to Australia, where she hosted a TV show called Decidedly Dusty. She released several albums but none of them matched her previous success. In 1987, Dusty made a comeback with the help of the Pet Shop Boys, who invited her to sing on their hit song "What Have I Done to Deserve This?". The song reached number two in both the UK and the US charts and revived Dusty's popularity. She also recorded an album with them called Reputation, which was well received by critics and fans. She continued to record and perform until 1995, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Dusty died on March 2, 1999 at her home in Henley-on-Thames, England. She was 59 years old. She was cremated and some of her ashes were buried at Henley-on-Thames Parish Church, while the rest were scattered by her brother Tom at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. She was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 and received an OBE from Queen Elizabeth II in 1998. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest singers of all time and an icon of the 1960s. She has influenced many artists, such as Adele, Amy Winehouse, Madonna and Kylie Minogue.