As The Times' review pointed out, the overriding successes of 2007’s Glastonbury Festival were those of two female performers—one was Lily Allen; the other was Dame Shirley Bassey. Conditions onstage were almost as bad as down in the mud with the crowd, yet the 70-year-old Bassey managed to pull her orchestra and the audience with her all the way. This long-awaited new biography opens with the now-famous helicopter emergency landing that followed Bassey’s performance, then backtracks to her youth in Cardiff’s Tiger Bay in the 1930s. From this moment on, the keyword in this sparkling biography is context. Most people have no real idea what the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s were actually like in Britain, because they believe the clichés. The reality was much bleaker—a grey world punctuated by the occasional flash of color—and Shirley Bassey was undeniably one of those flashes. The list of obstacles she had to overcome on her way to stardom is daunting—extreme poverty, a mixed-race background, an illegitimate child at the age of 16, and yet within a few years she transformed herself into the Shirley Bassey we all know—and eventually into an icon and a diva. She may be only two years younger than Elvis, and only a few years older than the Beatles, but these acts were not her chart rivals—and nor were Tommy Steele or Cliff Richard. Bassey’s competition lay in the orthodox showbiz world of performers such as Vera Lynn, Liberace, and the Beverley Sisters. Bassey blasted her way through with sheer sex appeal, of which her sense of humor is as much a key ingredient as her shimmering skin-tight costumes. While very few “easy listening” acts of the 1960s and 1970s have managed to cross over into mass acceptance by a modern audience, Bassey is one who has. What’s more, she seems now—much like Johnny Cash—to have been adopted by younger artists eager to work with her. In recent years she has collaborated with Yello, Billy Mackenzie, the Propellerheads, and Never The Bride, all of whom the author has interviewed for this book. In short, she still enjoys dizzying popularity, and Peter Hogan’s refreshing new insights put her career into brilliant perspective.
Shirley Bassey: Diamond Diva
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Book Description
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About the Author
Peter Hogan is the author of a number of music biographies, including The Complete Guide to the Music of the Doors, The Complete Guide to the Music of Queen; The Monkees: Monkeemania; and The Rough Guide to the Velvet Underground.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
disappointing,
By
This review is from: Shirley Bassey: Diamond Diva (Hardcover)
Very frustrating book....seems to have borrowed what he could from other authors while devoting half the book on a few years in the 50's and then decades pass by in a few pages (60-70's). I read the first part full of interest and was totally disappointed with the rest, you cant write over half a book about a 5 year period and then just skip the rest.This woman has been in showbiz for 50 years
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
DSB: Inspriation and Reinvention,
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Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Shirley Bassey: Diamond Diva (Hardcover)
Shirley Bassey; Diamond Diva
By Peter Hogan I have been a Shirley Bassey fan for several decades. Her ability to move me, uplift me, motivate me and make me think has become a tool for life I have become accustomed to having. Although there have been a few books written about her over the last 15 years, Peter Hogan has captured a profile of this mega star and presented it to us in a format that lets us see how true stars make themselves, develop themselves and create their own sustainability. Few of us lead lives that could withstand public scrutiny. With the trend these days leaning toward tearing down people (stars especially) Peter looks very respectfully into her past in a way that helps us understand her drive and determination . This personal and revealing peak into Dame Bassey's life inspired me very much. Though wealthy and quite comfortable now, she has worked hard, kept her nose clean, and taken care of her mother. Turbulent plane rides, illness and sorrow rarely keep DSB from her performances. In a career that spans over 50 years, it was inspiring to learn she only cancelled 1 concert during this fabulous career. If she never performed again she would forever be remembered as a once in a lifetime talent. However, Shirley did something I've never seen done before. Already an internationally known mega star, she reinvented herself! Starting with recording The Living Tree, a song that made even made her hair stand up, the concert at Glastonbury which introduced The Dame to an entirely new audience, to partnering with the best and sometimes youngest song writing talent across Europe. She proved once again that she can always learn new things and continue to inspire all of humanity. Not only an overwhelmingly talented Diva, The Dame has a gift of making people feel that anything is possible - with a little perseverance, and gumption. Her talent, her life story motivate me and empower me to help others. Thanks Peter for giving us a closer look at the history of this wonderful talent!
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dame Shirley Bassey,
By lawrence zamparelli "Larry In NYC" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Shirley Bassey: Diamond Diva (Hardcover)
One of the best voices ever with a huge following. Her story is real and the voice isn't matched by any singer today.
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