Shirley Bassey

In 1961, she married Kenneth Hume, a gay film producer, but the couple separated in 1964. The following year, they divorced amidst the rumors of the Bassey’s affair with actor Peter Finch.

In 1968, she entered into wedlock with Sergio Novak, the assistant manager of the Excelsior Hotel in Venice, Lido, Italy. Novak served as her manager throughout their marriage until they divorced in 1979.

She gave birth to two daughters, Sharon, born in 1954, and Samantha, born in 1963, but did not disclose the identities of their fathers.

Shirley Veronica Bassey was born on January 8, 1937, in the Tiger Bay section of Cardiff, Wales, to Henry Bassey, and his wife, Eliza Jane Start. She was the youngest of the seven children in her family with three sisters, two half-sisters, and one brother.

When Bassey was a baby, her father was jailed for the repeated sexual abuse of a child and her mother relocated the family to Splott, a working-class neighborhood in Cardiff.

In 1952, she left Splott Secondary Modern School to work in a factory at the age of 15. She also sang in public houses and clubs in the evenings and weekends, and was cast in a musical revue when she was 16.

In 1955, her talent was noted by Michael Sullivan, a booking agent, who recognized the potential in the young girl and decided to groom her. Subsequently, Philips A&R and record producer, Johnny Franz, spotted her and offered her a recording deal.

In February 1956, at the age of 19, her first recorded single titled ‘Burn My Candle’ was released. The next year, more singles followed and Shirley Bassey had her first hit with ‘The Banana Boat Song’, which reached No. 8 in the UK Singles Chart.

In mid-1958, Shirley Bassey recorded two singles ‘As I Love You’ and ‘Kiss Me, Honey Honey, Kiss Me’ which turned out to be two of the classics of her illustrious career.

In the early and mid-1960s, she had numerous hits on the UK charts, and five albums in the Top 15. In 1967, one of her best-known singles ‘Big Spender’ was released.

During the 1970s, the success of ‘Something’ spawned a series of successful albums including ‘Something Else’ (1971), ‘And I Love You So’ (1972), ‘Love, Life and Feelings’ (1976), ‘You Take My Heart Away’ (1977) and ‘Yesterdays’ (1978).

In 1965, her song ‘Goldfinger’ from the eponymous James Bond film featured in the US Top 40 Billboard Hot 100.