Shirley Bassey, a Welsh singer, is one of the most well-liked female vocalists in the United Kingdom. She is well known for performing the theme music for the James Bond movies “Goldfinger,” “Diamonds Are Forever,” and “Moonraker” and for the strength of her voice.

Quick Facts of Shirley Bassey

Shirley Bassey started performing when she was a youngster in 1953, and six years later, in 1959, she became the first person from Wales to have a number-one hit on the UK Singles Chart. With her album “I Owe It All To You,” she made history by becoming the first female artist to have a Top 40 album on the UK Albums Chart for seven straight decades.

She has also hosted her own variety show called “Shirley Bassey” and appeared in other TV programs. For her contributions to the performing arts, Queen Elizabeth II named her Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1999. The Grammy Hall of Fame inducted her song “Goldfinger” in 2008.

How much is the net wort of Shirley Bassey as of 2022?

Welsh vocalist Shirley Bassey is a gifted and popular performer. Shirley Bassey’s net worth is predicted to be $185 million as of 2022. She credits wise financial investments, significant real estate holdings, and lucrative endorsement partnerships with CoverGirl cosmetics for her wealth.

She also owns a football team (the “Cardiff Angels”), several restaurants (the “Fat Bassey Burger” chain) in Cardiff, her own vodka brand (Pure Wonderbassey – Wales), and is targeting the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Shirley) and a clothing line called “Shirley Bassey Seduction.” Over the course of her more than 60-year career, she has put out over 30 studio albums.

She has not yet disclosed that she earns a salary of millions of dollars per year. She is currently utilizing her wages to maintain a quality of living. Even now, despite her advanced age, she is very active. With an estimated $58 million in combined earnings between February 2021 and February 2022, she has surpassed her nearest rival by approximately $30 million to claim the top spot on People With Money’s list of the top 10 highest-paid singers for 2022.

The magazine takes into account elements including upfront pay, profit share, residuals, endorsements, and advertising work when preparing its annual list.

Shirley Bassey Opens BAFTA Awards With “Diamonds Are Forever”

The legendary Welsh singer Dame Shirley Bassey gave a breathtaking performance of the well-known James Bond theme tune Diamonds Are Forever to kick off the 2022 BAFTAs. The 85-year-old wowed fans when she went out in a stunning gold sequined outfit and gave a spectacular performance in honor of the 60th anniversary of the James Bond franchise.

Visitors to the Royal Albert Hall gave her a standing ovation, and many viewers tweeted their admiration for her and the performance. The superstar’s age surprised many, as one person noted: “On the BAFTAs, Shirley Bassey. 85 years of age. Still really mind-blowing and breathtaking.” Dame Shirley is also responsible for the James Bond theme songs for Goldfinger and Moonraker in addition to Diamonds Are Forever.

For what is Shirley Bassey renowned?

• being a singer whose enduring career and strong voice are well-known.
• for her contributions to the Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, and Moonraker James Bond film themes.

Who were the parents of Shirley Bassey?

Shirley Veronica Bassey was Shirley Bassey’s given name when she was born on January 8th, 1937. She is a native of Cardiff, Wales’ Tiger Bay. She is a citizen of Wales. Henry Bassey (the father) and Eliza Jane Start had Shirley as their sixth and youngest child (mother). Her early years were spent in the neighbouring town of Splott. Her mother was from Teesside, and her father was from Nigeria. She is hence of Mixed ethnicity.

The Bassey home was home to two of her mother’s four previous partnerships’ four children. In the marriage register for her union to Henry Bassey, her mother identified Alfred Metcalfe, her first husband, as her biological father. Shirley was born into a family of four siblings—three sisters, two half-sisters, and one brother—because Eliza and Henry’s second child perished infancy. His zodiac sign is Capricorn, and she practices Christianity.

Shirley went to school on Moorland Road. She left Splott Secondary Modern School at the age of 14. She also worked at Curran Steels and began singing in local bars and clubs in the evenings and on the weekends when she was young.

Linda Bassey Career History

On December 17, 1953, Shirley agreed to a deal with Columbia Productions for two performances at a fee of £10.
She performed in a number of theaters until being spotted by Jack Hylton, a theatre producer, in September 1955. Hylton then invited her to appear in Al Read’s Such Is Life, which premiered on December 14, 1955, at the Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End.

She then recorded “Burn My Candle,” her debut song, in February 1956.
Her debut single, “The Banana Boat Song,” which peaked at No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1957, was a success.

• Then, in February 1957, she made her American stage debut at El Rancho Vegas in Las Vegas.
• “If I Had a Needle and Thread” b/w “Tonight My Heart She Is Crying” came after her singles.
• On April 28, 1957, she appeared in “Sunday Night at the London Palladium” for the first time.
• In the middle of 1958, she cut two singles: “As I Love You,” “Hands Across the Sea,” and “Kiss Me, Honey Honey,
• Kiss Me.” In the end, both records would be in the top 3 simultaneously in 1959.
• Following that, she signed with Columbia, a division of EMI, and issued “The Fabulous Shirley Bassey,” an album that peaked at No. 12 on the UK Albums chart.
• Her version of “As Long As He Needs Me” from Oliver! by Lionel Bart peaked at No. 2 and spent 30 weeks on the charts.
• On November 13, 1960, she made her American television debut on The Ed Sullivan Show.
• Reach for the Stars/Climb Every Mountain, a double A-side, peaked at number one in 1961. Her song “I’ll Get By” reached its peak at position 10.

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• In August 1961, she subsequently signed with United Artists Records.
• The album “Let’s Face the Music” (1962), her collaboration with Nelson Riddle and his orchestra, peaked at No. 12 on the UK album chart, and the song “What Now My Love” peaked at No. 5.
• On February 15, 1964, she made her Carnegie Hall debut in New York.
• She became a household name when she performed “Goldfinger” for the 1964 James Bond film of the same name.
• Shirley Bassey at the Pigalle, a live album she recorded in 1965 while performing to a sold-out crowd at the London venue, reached at No. 15 on the UK album chart.
• In 1965, she performed the film’s theme song for the James Bond parody “The Liquidator.”
• She produced a song called “Thunderball” for the upcoming Bond movie (1965).
• I’ve Got a Song for You, her debut album with United Artists, spent one week on the charts in 1966.
• “Big Spender,” one of her best-known singles, was published in 1967.
• She then had an appearance in 1969’s “The Spring Thing” on NBC.
• The Young Generation Meet Shirley Bassey, a BBC Television “Special,” marked the beginning of her 1970 year. Her album “Something” was released that same year. The popular track “Never Never Never” was another from this time period.
• She made the “Diamonds Are Forever” theme song (1971).
• She also had an appearance in the 1971 Morecambe and Wise Christmas Special, which aired on Christmas Day.
• In addition to Something Else (1971), And I Love You So (1972), I Capricorn (1972), Never Never Never (1973).

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• Good, Bad but Beautiful (1975), Love, Life and Feelings (1976), You Take My Heart Away (1977), and Yesterdays,
• she also made a number of popular albums for the United Artists label (1978). Furthermore, Let’s Face the Music and And We Were Lovers (1967, reissued as Big Spender), two of Bassey’s older albums, also made it onto the charts in the 1970s (1962, re-issued as What Now My Love).
• The Shirley Bassey Singles Album (1975) and 25th Anniversary Album (1978), two of her compilations, both reached the top three in the UK charts: Her highest charting album, The Shirley Bassey Singles Album, peaked at number two and was awarded a gold disc. The 25th Anniversary Album finally achieved platinum status.
• Photographer Francesco Scavullo captured an image of her for her album “The Magic Is You” in 1979.
• She appeared in the six-episode “Shirley Bassey” series in 1976, and a second run of the same length followed in 1979.
• She made the recording for the Bond movie “Moonraker” in the year 1979.
• She spent the majority of the 1980s concentrating on philanthropic work while performing sporadic concert tours across Europe, Australia, and the US.
• She terminated her employment with United Artists, whose old record division was now a division of EMI, and started a period of “semi-retirement,” as she put it.
• Additionally, she released an album called “All by Myself” (1982). She also produced “A Special Lady,” a TV special for Thames Television.
• Likewise, she collaborated on the song “Thought I’d Ring You” with French actor Alain Delon (1983).
• With the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO), she recorded her most well-known song, “I Am What I Am” (1984), followed by “There’s No Place Like London” (1986).
• In 1987, she released the James Bond-themed album “The Bond Collection.”

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• Additionally, she contributed vocals to the Swiss band Yello’s song “The Rhythm Divine” (1987).
• Similar to it, she issued Bassey – The EMI/UA, a five-CD box collection. 1994, covering the years 1959–1979
• Chris Rea and her worked together on the movie “La Passione” (1996).
• She then played herself in the movie and issued the single “‘Disco’ La Passione.”
• She also sang “World in Union,” the Rugby World Cup’s official anthem.
• At the Duke of Edinburgh’s 80th birthday celebration in 2001, she served as the featured performer.
• Later, on June 25, 2007, she released her new album, “Get the Party Started,” which peaked at number six on the UK Albums Chart.

• Her album The Performance was recorded (2009). In November 2009, she went on to perform a number of the
• brand-new songs from The Performance on a variety of TV shows, including The Graham Norton Show, The Paul
• O’Grady Show, and Strictly Come Dancing as a guest singer.

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• On November 13, 2014, she sang “I’m Still Here” and “The Lady Is A Tramp.”
• On November 17, 2014, she released another album titled Hello Like Before.
• In December 2016, she appeared in a 60-minute BBC program with David Walliams as the host.
• On August 9, 2019, she sang “Goldfinger,” “Diamonds Are Forever,” and “S’Wonderful” at UNICEF’s Summer Gala in Porto Cervo, Sardinia.
• On Friday, December 20th, 2019, she appeared on the Ball & Boe TV Christmas Special.
• She released her album “I Owe It All To You” in the year 2020. She made history by becoming the first female performer to have an album chart in the top 40 of the UK Albums Chart for seven decades in a row.

Books of Shirley Bassey

• “Shirley Bassey: Diamonds Are Forever” by Mary Long, one of her books (2017)
• John L. Williams’ Miss Shirley Bassey (2010), published by Quercus in London.
• Peter Hogan and Shirley Bassey, “Diamond Diva” (2008)
• Ungersma, Hurn, “Cardiff: Rebirth of a Capital” (Foreword by Shirley Bassey) (2005)
• Welsh History Stories by Evans, Stokes, and ap Emlyn, according to Shirley Bassey (2003)
• Muriel Burgess offers her appreciation for Shirley Bassey (1998, reprinted 1999)
• Shirley Bassey’s My Life on Record and in Concert (Bloomsbury, 1998)
• A one-act play titled The Trial of Shirley Bassey was written by Alexander Baron (1998)
• This Is My Life (Piano/Vocal/Guitar) – Sheet music book by Shirley Bassey
• You’re the Voice (piano, vocal, and guitar) by Shirley Bassey – Book of sheet music
• 14th Edition of the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles
• 16th Edition of the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles
• 7th Edition of the Guinness Book of British Hit Albums
• The Second Edition of The Book of Golden Discs
• The 500 Number One Hits in Guinness World Records

Shirley Bassey Awards and Achievements

• Best Female Singer in 1972, per TV Times
• Best Female Singer in 1973, per TV Times
• 1974: American Guild of Variety Artists’ award for Best Female Entertainer
• 1976: Music Week’s Best Female Singer award
• 1976: UK receives EMI Award for 20 years as a recording artist.
• 1977: BRIT Award for Best British Female Solo Artist of the Previous 25 Years
• Shirley Bassey receives a 1977 Golden Rose of Montreux nomination.
• Star Boulevard Walk of Fame plaque unveiled in Rotterdam in 1991
• Showbiz Personality of the Year for 1995, according to the Variety Club of Great Britain
• 1999: France’s Légion d’Honneur
• 2003: UK’s National Music Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Music
• 2003: Western Mail received the first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award. Awards for Welsh Women of the Year
• 2004: UNESCO’s Artist for Peace Award
• Welsh Legend Award was given in 2004 at the Cardiff Millennium Center opening.
• 2013: Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association’s Dorian Award for Best TV Musical Performance.
• 2014: World Music Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2017: Jersey Style Awards and the Hall of Fame Award
• Awarded in 2017: Nordoff Robbins O2 Silver Clef
• 2000’s most popular British female singer
• Queen Elizabeth II appointed her Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2000.
• 1993: Awarded the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire
• won the 1974 American Guild of Variety Artists award for Best Female Entertainer.
• 1959 NME Award winner for Favorite British Female Singer
• First Brit Awards’ Best British Female Solo Artist was awarded in 1977.
• Cardiff, where she is from, granted her the freedom during a ceremony on May 17 at City Hall.

Who is the husband of Shirley Bassey?

Shirley Bassey has been married in the past. Shirley’s first union, which began in 1961 and ended in 1964, was with Kenneth Hume. In 1965, amid accusations that Bassey had an affair with actor Peter Finch, the couple were divorced. Shirley wed Sergio Novak, the assistant manager of the Excelsior Hotel in Venice, on August 12th, 1968. Novak was managing Bassey at the time, and they took in Mark, her grand-nephew.

They later divorced and split up in 1979. Currently unknown are the fathers of Bassey’s two daughters, Sharon Bassey (also known as Sharon Novak, born in 1954), and Samantha Bassey (also known as Samantha Novak, born in 1963). At the age of 17, she gave birth to Sharon, whom her sister Ella kept as her own daughter until the 1960s.

Samantha, who was born during their marriage, was allegedly the product of a liaison between Bassey and Peter Finch, according to her first husband. In 1985, Samantha, a 21-year-old Bristol, England resident, was discovered dead in the River Avon. Through her surviving daughter, Sharon Novak, Bassey has four grandkids. She stated that she had a great-granddaughter in the year 2018.

Shirley is currently living a happy single life with her kids. She is now a resident of Monaco. She is straight in her sexuality.

What is Shirley Bassey’s height?

Although Shirley Bassey is a stunning singer and has a wonderful height of 5 feet 3 inches, his actual weight hasn’t been made public yet. Her body is 32-28-32 inches in size (breast-waist-hip). Her beautiful brown eyes and dark brown hair complement her average physical build. She complained of stomach aches on May 23rd, 2008, and was transported to a hospital in Monaco where she underwent an urgent procedure on her stomach.

Have You Heard?

• She gave a performance at a banquet in Washington, D.C., honoring the second anniversary of President John F.
• Kennedy’s inauguration in January 1963.
• In March 1963, she was featured on the cover of Ebony magazine.
• Teachers at school told her not to use such a strong voice. When she was 14 years old, she dropped out of school to sing in bars.
• She has performed in support of the Rainforest Foundation Fund among many other humanitarian endeavors.
• In November 1960, she appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time in the United States.