School of Rock
Random article All articles A–Z
2 languages

Dusty Springfield

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Dusty Springfield was born Mary O'Brien in 1939 in West Hampstead in London, into a family of Irish parents who loved music. At home she listened to Gershwin, Cole Porter, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Glenn Miller. She first sang in folk clubs with her brother Dion, later known as Tom Springfield. In 1958 she joined the Lana Sisters and in 1960 she formed the folk-pop trio The Springfields with her brother and Tim Feild. In 1963 she left the group to go solo.

Music and breakthrough

In the 1960s she had great success in Britain with singles such as I Only Want to Be With You, I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself, the best known of her many Burt Bacharach and Hal David covers, In the Middle of Nowhere and Some of Your Lovin'. Her albums from that period include A Girl Called Dusty from 1964, Ev'rything's Coming Up Dusty and The Look of Love from 1967. She presented Ready Steady Go! on British television and from 1966 to 1969 had her own programmes on the BBC and ITV. In 1966 she topped the Melody Maker polls.

Influence

Dusty sang with a dark, distinctive mezzo-soprano and performed blue-eyed soul, pop ballads, chanson, country and jazz. Her voice was warm and dramatic and sometimes sounded almost whispered. She was one of the first British female singers to have success with American soul, and so showed that British pop and Black American music could strengthen each other. She died in 1999.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to I Only Want to Be With You and notice how her voice sounds both powerful and sensitive. Can you hear how she breaks free of the accompaniment in the chorus?

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

See also

Categories: ArtistsBlue-eyed soul