UNDERAPPRECIATED MUSIC: DUSTY SPRINGFIELD

Born Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien in 1939, Dusty Springfield was one of the most popular and talented female singers of the Sixties.  Over her forty year career she had six top 20 singles in the United States and sixteen in her native England.  As for her personal life, it's as if the fates had conspired against her,  She had a history of alcoholism, drug abuse, and self-harming. Early in her career she was concerned that being a lesbian would harm her career but by 1970 she bravely came out.  She was also a successful record producer.  She died much too soon at age fifty-nine following a recurrence of breast cancer.

She began singing with her brother Tom.  She soon joined the girl group The Lana Sisters.  One of their best-known songs was "(Seven Little Girls) Sitting on the Back Seat"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1CCz7ilszw

After three years with The Lana Sisters, Dusty left to form the folk rock group The Springfields.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZPlCwoz2Y4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH3MvhHDaEs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz6HB9HYQz4

In November 1963 -- a month after The Springfields held their final concert -- Dusty released her first single, which reached number 4 on the British charts and sold over a million copies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJMJSpOQEvk

From that point on the songs just kept pouring out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR4vE9xL3yk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf1d65OHYXo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycbgHM1mI0k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyCVxPEPx5Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTQfyY48HRs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjydOI4MEIw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLx8L04L8Dk

Finally, here's Dusty introducing another group, then interviewing them between the two songs in the set.  (Gosh.  Were we ever that young?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S20yQaGSNQ