Shirley Bassey

Shirley Veronica Bassey entered the world on January 8 1937 in Cardiff, Wales. Her mixed race heritage (English mother and Nigerian father) gave her the drive and perseverance to move beyond an impoverished upbringing. Shirley is a highly acclaimed British black performer and recorded many top of the chart hits through her career.

In 1952 Shirley left her home to work in a factory in Wales. She sang in pubs and in musical revues. After the birth of her daughter Sharon, Bassey set out to set the world on fire with her powerful and expressive voice. At the age of 19 Shirley released her first single, "Burn My Candle". Her first hit was "Banana Boat Song" and her popularity took off when she was chosen to sing the Goldfinger theme song. Diamonds are Forever and Moonraker are also themes from Bond movies sung by Bassey.

In 1963 Bassey gave birth to another daughter, Samantha. Bassey married twice to Kenneth Hume and Sergio Novak. Both marriages ended in divorce. In 1875 Samantha was killed in an accidental drowning that sent Bassey into a tailspin.

Shirley is still singing strong in the 2000s. She was the main artiste at the Duke of Edinburgh's 80th birthday party and in 2002 she was a headliner who sang for the Queen at her 50th Jubilee Party at Buckingham Palace. In 2003 Shirley circulated her CD Thank You for the Years. She provides charity scholarships to Noah's Ark Children's Hospital Appeal as well as to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Bassey was awarded the title of dame commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2000 in honor of a career that includes sells of over 135 million records. She is a diva in every sense of the word. Her unforgettable voice and sex appeal brought her a standing ovation at the 2013 Academy Awards for her performance of Goldfinger.