What is Shirley Bassey’s Net Worth?
Dame Shirley Bassey, a Welsh singer, has a net worth of $10 million. She is best known for singing the theme songs to several James Bond films and has released numerous hit albums. Bassey has also had several television specials and hosted her own variety series in the 70s.
Early Life and Career of Shirley Bassey
Shirley Bassey was born on January 8, 1937 in Cardiff, Wales as the youngest of six children. She attended Moorland Road School and sang in the school choir. Bassey left secondary modern school at the age of 14 to work at Curran Steels. In the evenings, she performed at local clubs and pubs.
Shirley Bassey’s Early Career
Bassey signed her first professional music contract in 1953 as a member of the “Memories of Jolson” variety show tour. Later that year, she signed with Columbia Productions for a two-performance engagement. Bassey went on to tour with the show “Hot from Harlem.”
Eventually, she was noticed by English impresario Jack Hylton, who invited her to appear in the West End show “Such is Life.” Bassey attracted a great deal of attention for her show-stopping performance in the production, and was subsequently offered a recording contract by Philips record producer Johnny Franz. She soon recorded her first single, “Burn My Candle,” which she had sung in “Such is Life.” However, the song was banned by the BBC for being too suggestive.
In 1957, Bassey had her first hit single in the UK with “The Banana Boat Song.” She then made her American stage debut in Las Vegas before performing in Los Angeles.
In 1958, Bassey recorded two of her most acclaimed singles: “As I Love You” and “Hands Across the Sea.” She had another hit with her cover of “Kiss Me, Honey Honey, Kiss Me.” Shortly after this, Bassey signed with Columbia and released the hit album “The Fabulous Shirley Bassey.”
Shirley Bassey’s Career Highlights
Shirley Bassey rose to fame in the early 60s with top-ten UK hit singles and the album “Let’s Face the Music” with Nelson Riddle. In 1964, she recorded the theme song for the James Bond film “Goldfinger,” which reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. Bassey continued to release successful albums throughout the 70s, including “Something,” “I Capricorn,” and “Love, Life and Feelings.” She also recorded the theme songs for two more James Bond films, “Diamonds Are Forever” and “Moonraker.”
Shirley Bassey’s Musical Career
During the 80s and 90s, Shirley Bassey recorded several albums while in semi-retirement, including “All by Myself,” “I Am What I Am,” and “Keep the Music Playing.” In 2003, she released “Thank You for the Years” to celebrate her 50 years in the music industry. “Get the Party Started” followed four years later and became another hit album. Bassey’s subsequent albums include “The Performance,” “Hello Like Before,” and “I Owe it All to You.” With her latest album, she became the first female artist to have an album chart in the top 40 of the UK Albums Chart in seven consecutive decades.
Shirley Bassey’s BBC Television Specials
Shirley Bassey has had numerous BBC television specials over the years. Her first special, “Shirley Comes Home,” aired in 1957. In the 60s, she had five specials, while the 70s saw her hosting seven of them. Bassey even had her own variety show from 1976 to 1979. She continued to star in BBC television specials in the 90s and 2000s.
Personal Life
Bassey married Kenneth Hume in 1961 but they divorced in 1965 due to Bassey’s affair with Peter Finch. She married Sergio Novak in 1968 but they divorced in 1979. Bassey has two daughters, Sharon and Samantha, and the father of both is unknown. Samantha died at the age of 21 when she was found dead in the River Avon in 1985.
Awards and Honors
Bassey was awarded Commander of the British Empire in 1994 and became a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire on New Year’s Eve in 1999. She was also awarded the Legion d’Honneur, the highest order of merit in France.
