Dusty: An Intimate Portrait of a Musical Legend

Description

Dusty Springfield was one of the biggest musical stars of the twentieth century. From the launch of her solo career in 1963, and until her departure for Los Angeles a decade later, she was Britain's biggest female star, with a glamour and voice that propelled her into a different league. She was, in almost every way, ahead of her time. For instance, she was the first British artist to appreciate the impact of Motown, and her love of its music led her to introduce Martha and the Vandellas, The Supremes and Stevie Wonder to audiences through her TV shows. Her musical ear was unsurpassed, and she famously discovered Led Zeppelin. This book is the definitive biography of Dusty Springfield, using new material, meticulous research and frank interviews with those closest to her, to compose an intimate and accurate portrait of the real woman behind the legend.

Karen Bartlett is a writer and journalist based in London, where she contributes regularly to the Sunday Times, The Times, the Guardian and WIRED. She lives in North London.

Karen Bartlett's biography sends you back to the music - to the extraordinary, dusky vulnerability of her voice. The Daily Telegraph It's an incredibly sad story but Bartlett gets the balance right, celebrating a talent with few equals. MOJO Bartlett spins the tale adroitly; never surrendering to the impulse to sensationalise... the author's chief concern is to locate the shy frightened woman behind the iconic exterior. Irish Independent A well-researched and revealing biography - Those last few years, however, make for a heartbreaking read, but [are] handled sympathetically and without sensationalism. Record Collector Dusty is a fascinating read, desperately sad and painful though it is to discover its heroine's Californian dark night of the soul. The Tablet