SHIRLEY BASSEY

SHIRLEY BASSEY

Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey is a British singer. She performed the theme songs to the James Bond films Goldfinger (1964), Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and Moonraker (1979). She is the only singer to have recorded more than one James Bond theme song. Bassey is an international artist who has accumulated 20 silver discs for sales in Britain, Europe and the Middle East; fifty-plus gold discs for international record sales; and countless greatest hits compilation albums including one gold and two platinum.

In recognition of her career longevity, and admiration from the Royal Family, Bassey was created a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) on 31 December 1999 by HM Queen Elizabeth II. She was invited to perform in 2002 at the Party at the Palace, a public celebration of The Queen's Golden Jubilee. She was also awarded France's top honour, the Legion d'Honneur, to signify her popularity and importance in the culture of France. She now resides in Monaco and has recently sold her London apartment - many of its furnishings were auctioned for charity. On 16 December 2007 Dame Shirley celebrated her 70th birthday with a party for friends at Cliveden, a stately home in Buckinghamshire.

LIST OF BASSEY'S AWARDS

• 1972 - Best Female Singer - TV Times, UK
• 1973 - Best Female Singer - TV Times, UK
• 1974 - Best Female Entertainer - American Guild of Variety Artists
• 1976 - Best Female Singer - Music Week, UK
• 1976 - 22-day British tour to mark twenty years as a recording artist
• 1976 - EMI Award for twenty years as a recording artist - UK
• 1977 - Best British Female Singer in the Last 50 years of Recorded Sound - (BRIT Awards winner)
• 1977 - BBC TV show nomination for the Golden Rose of Montreux
• 1985 - Star of Sopot Festival (International Song Festival), Poland
• 1991 - Walk of Fame, Star Boulevard - plaque unveiled in Rotterdam
• 1993 - CBE - Commander of the British Empire
• 1995 - Showbusiness Personality of the Year - Variety Club of Great Britain
• 1996 - Europe's Lifetime Achievement Award - Ceremony held in Germany
• 1997 - Grammy nomination - The Birthday Concert (recorded live at Althorp Park)
• 1998 - Longest run by a solo artist (ten shows) - Royal Festival Hall, London
• 1999 - Légion d'Honneur - France
• 1999 - DBE - Dame of the British Empire
• 1999 - Madam Tussaud's waxwork unveiled in London (second model in Las Vegas)
• 1999 - 100 most famous people of the 20th century - Hello magazine
• 2000 - Most Successful British Female Singer - Guinness Book of Records
• 2003 - Outstanding Contribution to Music - National Music Awards, UK
• 2003 - Woman of the Year - Western Mail Welsh Woman of the Year Awards
• 2004 - Greatest Black Briton, Shirley voted into the top ten - BBC
• 2004 - Artist for Peace Award - UNESCO
• 2005 - Avenue of Stars - plaque unveiled in London
• 2008 - "Goldfinger" - United Artists single (1964) inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame

Heres one of her remarkable songs

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER