| Who says you have to be young to rock? Almost | | | | rendition of The Banana Boat Song and by 1964 she |
| 200,000 fans at Europe's largest outdoor music | | | | was blowing away the competition on both sides of |
| festival at Glastonbury found that out first hand | | | | the Atlantic. She was tapped to sing the title song to |
| when Shirley Bassey hit the Pyramid stage to | | | | the James Bond film, Goldfinger in 1964, to be |
| perform memorable hits like "Goldfinger," Diamonds | | | | followed by several others. Other popular songs that |
| are Forever" and "Big Spender" live. | | | | became favorites and topped the charts were No |
| As America's Woodstock rival, the Glastonbury | | | | Regrets and I Who Have Nothing. Not only her unique |
| Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts (it's name | | | | voice, but her penchant for glitzy and glamorous |
| since 1990) has been delighting fans around the | | | | costumes quickly brought a lot of attention to |
| country and drawing worldwide attention. This has | | | | Bassey, who was made a Dame of the British Empire |
| been going down since Somerset farmer Michael | | | | in 1999 by the Queen. |
| Eavis at Worthy Farm, Pilton - near Glastonbury in | | | | Bassey relocated from London to Monte Carlo, |
| Somerset, launched the first concert in 1970. | | | | Monaco, where she still resides in a luxurious |
| Shirley Bassey has been an icon in the entertainment | | | | apartment with a spectacular view of the |
| industry for four decades, and she is one of the few | | | | Mediterranean. Living in one of Monte Carlo's most |
| true remaining legends in the music world. Even those | | | | prestigious neighborhoods, Bassey has had such |
| who don't know her name will immediately recognize | | | | illustrious neighbors as tennis great Boris Becker and |
| the distinctive voice that offered those fun-filled | | | | Beatle Ringo Starr. |
| theme songs to many popular James Bond films of | | | | Bassey is securely ensconced in the warm sunshine |
| the 1960s as well as popular tunes such as a remake | | | | and crisp sea breezes that entice visitors from |
| of Stormy Weather and her exciting rendition of Big | | | | around the world every year and seems content to |
| Spender. | | | | spend the remainder of her life in the small principality |
| Recently named one of the top 100 famous people | | | | that served as a location for several of the Bond |
| of the 20th century, Bassey and her music offer | | | | films she sang theme songs for. |
| generations of fans her unique voice and style, no | | | | In 2005, Shirley decided on a makeover and |
| matter what she sings. | | | | downsized her existence. As a result, she auctioned |
| Born in 1937 in Tiger Bay, Wales (close to where | | | | off a major portion of her belongings, original |
| Catherine Zeta-Jones and Charlotte Church also hail | | | | paintings and art, furniture and interior designs with |
| from) Shirley belonged to a large family with six | | | | Sotheby's. |
| siblings. Her father abandoned the family when Shirley | | | | Though she's been married twice, Shirley Bassey now |
| was a baby, and she left school at 15 to begin work | | | | lives alone, though she is never truly alone, with |
| in the packing department of a local factory. The | | | | activities and appearances that continue to keep her |
| following year, she supplemented that income by | | | | busy and in the limelight for her adoring fans around |
| singing in local clubs in her native Cardiff. | | | | the globe. |
| Bassey's singing career took off in 1957 with her | | | | |