200 Favourite Music Acts. Today: #89: DUSTY SPRINGFIELD. Continues in 2 days.

The Caffé Latté

200

FAVOURITE

MUSIC ACTS

#89

DUSTY SPRINGFIELD

Britain's finest blue-eyed soul vocalist was born Mary O'Brien in 1939. Her first taste of success was as a member of The Springfields, a group which included her brother Dion. The folk trio scored hits which included "Silver Threads and Golden Needles", a US Top 20 hit in 1962. The group's success prompted the siblings to change their names. Mary became Dusty Springfield. Dion became Tom Springfield. 

While promoting their records in America, Dusty was so taken by the girl group craze and the sound of Motown that she quit the band in 1963. 

That year saw her release the stunning debut solo single "I Only Want To Be With You". The disc peaked at #4 in Britain and #12 in America. Along with the Beatles, Springfield helped usher in the British Invasion. 

Other pop gems from this golden period include "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" (UK #3 in 1964); "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" (UK #1, US #4 in 1966); "Goin' Back" (UK #10 in 1966); "I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten" (#4 in 1968) and "Son Of A Preacher Man" (UK #9, US #10 in 1968). 

The latter was from her watershed album 'Dusty In Memphis'. Springfield also recorded "The Look Of Love" for the 1967 James Bond film 'Casino Royale'.  

Springfield faded away from the spotlight in the 1970s, as she dealt with her substance abuse. During the 1980s, she collaborated with Spencer Davis and Richard Carpenter. It took a duet with The Pet Shop Boys to revive her career. "What Have I Done To Deserve This?" peaked at #2 in both Britain and America. 

The resurgence produced some of Springfield's best singles in decades, including "Nothing Has Been Proved" (from the film 'Scandal'), "In Private" and "Reputation". 

In the mid-90s, while Springfield was recording the 'A Very Fine Love' album, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The singer was believed to be in remission but the cancer returned in 1996. 

Springfield died 3 years later. She was aged 59. She not only fused R&B with British pop, but exposed many Britons to the soul music from across the pond during the Sixties.

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90 STING      91 KATE CEBERANO    92 DANNY SAUCEDO      93 OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN     

94 ROD STEWART       95 MARY J. BLIGE    96 SANTANA    97 CARLY SIMON

98 EMINEM       99 TAMMI TERRELL    100 FRANK SINATRA    101 JENNIFER HUDSON    

102 BEACH BOYS    103 CHAKA KHAN    104 JOE JACKSON       105 MIKA                              

106 CHRISTINA AGUILERA      107 DAVID GUETTA      108 DESTINY’S CHILD

109 JAMIROQUAI      110 ALISON MOYET      111 LED ZEPPELIN      112 STEVE WINWOOD

113 COMMODORES      114 COLDPLAY      115 SIMPLY RED      116 ONE DIRECTION

117 CAROLE KING      118 R. KELLY      119 EMELI SANDE`      120 QUINCY JONES

121 LADY GAGA      122 ELVIS COSTELLO      123 RAY CHARLES      124 ED SHEERAN

125 NATALIE COLE     126 SMOKEY ROBINSON     127 KANYE WEST     128 ELVIS PRESLEY

129 ERIC BENET      130 SAM SMITH      131 JAMES TAYLOR      132 STEELY DAN

133 IKE & TINA TURNER      134 DES’REE      135 ACE OF BASE      136 VAN MORRISON

137 SAM COOKE      138 THE DOORS      139 AMY WINEHOUSE      140 PHARRELL

141 GEORGE BENSON      142 MINNIE RIPERTON       143 VILLAGE PEOPLE

144 CURTIS MAYFIELD      145 FOREIGNER      146 EURYTHMICS      147 TOTO

148 BARRY WHITE      149 CARL RISELEY      150 TONI BRAXTON     151 NEIL DIAMOND

152 HALL & OATES     153 LUTHER VANDROSS     154 ERIC CLAPTON     155 THE O’JAYS

156 RUMER      157 SLY & THE FAMILY STONE      158 LITTLE RICHARD

159 HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES      160 CHRIS ISAAK

161 MICHAEL McDONALD      162 GLORIA GAYNOR      163 TWENTY ONE PILOTS

164 BEN E. KING     165 MEAT LOAF     166 JAMES REYNE     167 JOAN ARMATRADING

168 SADE    169 A-HA    170 GLEN CAMPBELL    171 DIRE STRAITS    172 COLD CHISEL

173 LINDA RONSTADT      174 ANTHONY CALLEA      175 LISA STANSFIELD

176 EN VOGUE      177 MICHAEL BUBLE`      178 TRACY CHAPMAN      179 DRAGON

180 OLETA ADAMS      181 LITTLE RIVER BAND      182 SOPHIE ELLIS – BEXTOR

183 THE RONETTES      184 CERRONE      185 MODELS      186 SCISSOR SISTERS

187 DARREN HAYES      188 PETULA CLARK      189 MARTHA & THE VANDELLAS

190 LIGHTHOUSE FAMILY      191 ART GARFUNKEL      192 THE REELS

193 JANIS IAN      194 JOHN PAUL YOUNG      195 S CLUB 7      196 CHARLIE PUTH

197 THE MARVELETTES      198 ICEHOUSE      199 LEO SAYER      200 LIZA MINNELLI