Photo of the Week: Shirley Bassey Throws a Party for Her Brother and His New Bride (1957)

Posted on June 16, 2013 | 5 Comments
Shirley Bassey (C) with her brother, Henry Bassey Jr. (L), and his new bride, Mary (R) in Cardiff, 1957. Photo from WalesOnline.

Shirley Bassey (C) with her brother, Henry Bassey Jr. (L), and his new bride, Mary (R) in Cardiff, 1957. Photo from WalesOnline.

This week’s “photo of the week” is a rare one of Dame Shirley Bassey with her older brother, Henry Bassey Jr. and his new bride, Mary. The photo was taken in 1957, at the New Theatre, in Cardiff, where Dame Shirley had thrown a party to celebrate Henry Jr. and Mary‘s marriage. Henry Jr. is Dame Shirley‘s older brother, the twin of their sister Eileen. It was Henry Jr. who brought home the jazz and blues records that influenced Dame Shirley‘s early singing – he would also sing along with her. He too had a lovely voice, but was too shy to pursue singing as a full-time career option.

This lovely young couple looks so much in love, and devoted to each other. Henry Jr. and Mary remained married until Mary‘s death in 2012. The couple lived in Cardiff and raised three children.

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Photo of the Week: Dame Shirley Bassey on the Phone and Happy-Go-Lucky (1957)

Posted on June 9, 2013 | 1 Comment
Shirley Bassey on the phone and kicking her heels up after a performance in Cardiff, 1957.

Shirley Bassey smiling on the phone and kicking her heels up after a performance in Cardiff, 1957.

This week’s “photo of the week” is a rare one of Dame Shirley Bassey taken in 1957. Our Dame is on the phone, smiling, kicking up her heels and carefree, after a performance in Cardiff. This is one of favorites photos of Dame Shirley, she looks very happy and relaxed, a rarity for anyone in show business. One could say that Dame Shirley is like a pendulum: Sometimes she’s very happy, pleasant and carefree, other times she is said to have a very bad temper. Whatever her secret is, Dame Shirley has always had the ability to bounce back quickly for some very painful circumstances. We at DiamondBassey.org admire Dame Shirley‘s ability to “enjoy the ride,” no matter what is going on, or whatever turn life might take. So we say to you all, take a page out of Dame Shirley‘s book: Life is short, enjoy the ride.

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Music: Shirley Bassey’s “Something Wonderful” (1965)

Posted on June 2, 2013 | Comments Off
Shirley Bassey performing live in London, at the Pigalle, in 1965.

Shirley Bassey performing live in London, at the Pigalle Club, in 1965.

Today’s Dame Shirley Bassey “song of the day” is “Something Wonderful“, written by Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers for the 1951 Broadway musical, “The King and I.” The song would later appear in the film adaptation of “The King and I” starring Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner. “Something Wonderful is sung by the character Lady Thiang, the king’s head wife, to Anna Leonowens, the expatriate teacher hired to teach the royal children. In the song, Lady Thiang urges Anna (Kerr) to accept the king (Brynner) as he is, despite his faults. The song has also been recorded by Doris Day, Nina Simone, and Barbra Streisand among others.

Dame Shirley recorded “Something Wonderful” for her 1965 album, “Shirley Stops the Shows.” She is accompanied on this track by Johnnie Spence and His Orchestra. One could say that “art was imitating life” on Dame Shirley‘s part. In 1965, Dame Shirley resolved to take back her then ex-husband, Kenneth Hume, despite his past indiscretions and the nasty divorce he dragged her through. In 1965, the couple announced that they would remarry. This never happened though Dame Shirley and Hume remained close friends until he died in 1967.

“Shirley Stops the Shows,” produced by Norman Newell,  is quickly becoming one of our favorites here at DiamondBassey.org. Enjoy!

Video courtesy of YouTube channel ThorneyCroft1937

On Spotify: Shirley Bassey’s “Something Wonderful” (1965)

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Photo of the Week: Dame Shirley Bassey Goes to “Shoe Hell” (c. 1964)

Posted on May 26, 2013 | 1 Comment
Shirley Bassey "hops along" on the tarmac after breaking the right heel of her desigener shoes, c. 1964. Photo from Tatler UK

Shirley Bassey “hops along” on the tarmac after breaking the right heel of her designer shoes, c. 1964. Photo from Tatler UK

DiamondBassey.org knows how much Dame Shirley Bassey loves shoes, and loves to give them away; but this pair of pumps we’re sure she tossed into the rubbish bin. Poor Dame Shirley found herself “hopping along” on the tarmac of an airport, sometime circa 1964, after the unthinkable: Breaking one’s expensive, designer shoe heel in public. Our Dame was forced to walk around with one barefoot, in broad daylight, while holding the remains of what she probably thought was a high quality pair of pumps. We’re not sure who the lady is behind Dame Shirley, but she looks rather amused. We hope she was not Dame Shirley‘s assistant. Oh dear!

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Rare Gems: Shirley Bassey’s “Once In A Lifetime” (1965)

Posted on May 26, 2013 | Comments Off
Cover art for Shirley Bassey's "Shirley Stops The Shows", released in 1965 on the EMI/Columbia label.

Cover art for Shirley Bassey’s “Shirley Stops The Shows”, released in 1965 on the EMI/Columbia label.

This week’s rare gem from Dame Shirley Bassey‘s  collection is “Once in a Lifetime“, written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse. This song was originally written for the 1961 Broadway musical, “Stop the World – I Want to Get Off,” where it was first sung by the character of “Littlechap“, played by Anthony Newley himself. Newley also  recorded “Once in a Lifetime“, releasing it on the musical’s original cast recording in 1961. The song has also been recorded by Sammy Davis Jr., who released it on his 1963 live album, “Sammy Davis Jr, –  at the Cocoanut Grove“.

Photo still of Shirley Bassey and Anthony Newley on "The Anthony Newley Show" in 1961. Photo from The Bassey Blog.

Photo still of Shirley Bassey and Anthony Newley on “The Anthony Newley Show” in 1961. Photo from The Bassey Blog.

Dame Shirley recorded “Once in a Lifetime” for her 1965 album, “Shirley Stops the Shows“. The album, which failed to chart in the UK but managed to peak at #85 in the US, would be Dame Shirley‘s final studio album on the EMI/Columbia label. After leaving EMI/Columbia for United Artists, Dame Shirley had a bit of a dry spell, but then true to words of “Once in a Lifetime,” she went on to do “great things“. Going through a rough patch? Keep the faith and keep your head up. Things can and will turn around for the better. Enjoy!

Video courtesy of YouTube courtesy channel Thorneycroft1937

On Spotify: Shirley Bassey’s “Once in a Lifetime” (1967)

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Cocktails: Shirley Bassey’s “I Capricorn” (Game of Love Dub)

Posted on May 23, 2013 | Comments Off

This week’s cocktail is a strawberry smoothie of one of our favorite Dame Shirley Bassey tunes, “I Capricorn” (Game of Love Dub). This lovely remix was released by Bring Your Knitting Disco, out of Auckland, New Zealand. We must warn you however; though this remix is smooth going down, one may be subject to brain freeze. Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!

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News: Dame Shirley Bassey Performs @ Cannes Film Festival amFar Gala (2013)

Posted on May 23, 2013 | Comments Off
Dame Shirley Bassey performs at the Cannes Film Festival amFar Gala, May 23, 2013. Photo from Getty Images. Photo from WalesOnline.

Dame Shirley Bassey performs at the Cannes Film Festival amFar Gala, May 23, 2013. Photo from Getty Images. Photo from WalesOnline.

Update @23:22: The amFar Charity Gala took place at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, France. The star-studded event raised about $25 million for AIDS Research. Dame Shirley performed “Goldfinger” during her set. The following is a recap of the event from The Indepedent:

The Independent – Shirley Bassey urges Cannes Luminaries to Pull Out Their “Goldfingers” at AIDS Fundraiser

Dame Shirley Bassey performed this evening at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival amFAR Gala, raising funds for AIDS Research. Our Dame was sporting a new hairdo, but did a double-take in terms of gowns (hint: the Oscars). We don’t yet have a set list from the event however, we do have some pictures. As soon as video of our Dame‘s performance becomes available, we will post it here:

Dame Shirley Bassey performs at the Cannes Film Festival amFar Gala, May 23, 2013. Photo from Getty Images.

Dame Shirley Bassey performs at the Cannes Film Festival amFar Gala, May 23, 2013. Photo from Getty Images.

Dame Shirley Bassey performs at the Cannes Film Festival amFar Gala, May 23, 2013. Photo from Getty Images.

Dame Shirley Bassey performs at the Cannes Film Festival amFar Gala, May 23, 2013. Photo from Getty Images.

Dame Shirley Bassey performs at the Cannes Film Festival amFar Gala, May 23, 2013. Photo from Getty Images.

Dame Shirley Bassey performs at the Cannes Film Festival amFar Gala, May 23, 2013. Photo from Getty Images.

Dame Shirley Bassey performs at the Cannes Film Festival amFar Gala, May 23, 2013. Photo from Getty Images.

Dame Shirley Bassey performs at the Cannes Film Festival amFar Gala, May 23, 2013. Photo from Getty Images.

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News: Dame Shirley Bassey Sells Palm Beach Condo to NFL Team Owner (2013)

Posted on May 16, 2013 | Comments Off
Balcony view from Dame Shirley Bassey's former luxury condominium located at 2660 South Ocean Boulevard, #203w, Palm, Florida, USA

Balcony view from Dame Shirley Bassey’s former luxury condominium located at 2660 South Ocean Boulevard, #203W, Palm Beach, Florida, USA

DiamondBassey.org can now confirm that Dame Shirley Bassey has sold her luxury condominium in the town of Palm Beach, Florida, to Art Rooney II, owner of the National Football League (NFL) team, the Pittsburgh Steelers.  The 3,000 square foot, 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom condo,  located at Beach Point complex, 2660 South Ocean Boulevard, No. 203W, sold for US $950,000, which was below the original asking price of US $1.37 million. Palm Beach is one of the most exclusive and expensive addresses in the world. The transaction was finalized on Monday, May 13, 2013.

Dame Shirley bought the condo back in 2009 for US $1.05 million., using a Jersey-based corporation called “50 States Limited” to conceal her identity. This is a common practice for high-profile individuals wishing to guard their privacy. A source familiar with the sale says Dame Shirley sold the condo because she’s getting older and wanted to move on. The condo was listed with realtor, Brown Harris Stevens. For more information and pictures of the condo, please click on the following link to the listing on realtor’s website. Hurry, this will not last long:

Brown Harris Stevens – 2660 South Ocean Blvd Unit 203W Palm Beach, FL

DiamondBassey.org now presents some additional photos of Dame Shirley‘s Palm Beach condo available from GossipExtra.com. It appears that Dame Shirley has moved most of her furniture of the place. The pictures on the Brown Harris Stevens website listing above show a fully furnished condo:

Balcony view from Dame Shirley Bassey's former luxury condominium located at 2660 South Ocean Boulevard, #203w, Palm, Florida, USA

Balcony view from Dame Shirley Bassey’s former luxury condominium located at 2660 South Ocean Boulevard, #203W, Palm Beach, Florida, USA

Interior room of Dame Shirley Bassey's former luxury condominium located at 2660 South Ocean Boulevard, #203w, Palm, Florida, USA

Interior room of Dame Shirley Bassey’s former luxury condominium located at 2660 South Ocean Boulevard, #203W, Palm Beach, Florida, USA

Interior room of Dame Shirley Bassey's former luxury condominium located at 2660 South Ocean Boulevard, #203w, Palm, Florida, USA

Interior room of Dame Shirley Bassey’s former luxury condominium located at 2660 South Ocean Boulevard, #203W, Palm Beach, Florida, USA

Source:  GossipExtra.com

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News: Dame Shirley Bassey to Perform @ amFAR’s Cannes AIDS Gala (2013)

Posted on May 9, 2013 | Comments Off

aids-ribbon

Attention all Dame Shirley Bassey fans! DiamondBassey.org can finally confirm another Bassey gig this year! Dame Shirley Bassey to set to perform at amFAR‘s AIDS Gala at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The high-society charity gala will take place on Thursday, May 23. Dame Shirley will be part of a musical line-up which will include British rock band Duran Duran, Ellie Goulding, and Hot Chella Rae.

amfAR-logoAmFar (The Foundation for AIDS Research), founded in 1985, is an international non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds for AIDS Research, HIV prevention, treatment and education. One of the founding chairpersons of amFAR was the late Dame Elizabeth Taylor, who was one of Dame Shirley‘s dearest longtime friends.  Dame Shirley has supported amFAR’s efforts for many years.

After more than 30 years in the public eye,  AIDS/HIV still remains one of most deadly diseases of our generation. There is no cure. We’re sure that all of us know someone who has been affected by this disease. Any steps that we as a society can make towards finding a cure, and educating the general population as a means of prevention, helps us all. 

Source(s):

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Photo of the Week: Shirley Bassey Flunks Her Driving Test in Style (1958)

Posted on May 3, 2013 | Comments Off
Shirley Bassey, in 1958, looking sad at her "Learners" plate after failing her driving test in her brand new Jaguar Mark 1. Photo from WalesOnline.

Shirley Bassey, in Cardiff, 1958, looking sad at her “Learners” plate after failing her driving test in her brand new Jaguar Mark IX. Photo from WalesOnline.

Today, DiamondBassey.org introduces a new feature, “Photo of the Week,” in which we will share our favorite pictures of Dame Shirley Bassey over the years. This week, our favorite photo is one of a very young Shirley Bassey in Cardiff, 1958, moping over her brand new Jaguar Mark IX motorcar. She couldn’t drive it yet because she had just failed the test for her driver’s license. Talk about flunking out in style! Have a great weekend!

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