Dusty Springfield: the Legendary Woman in Pop

simon — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 01:36:58 +0000

Dusty Springfield was really born as Mary O’Brien. We have seen the deep soul touching voice of Dusty Springfield being resurrected through the Pet Shop Boys number “What Have I Done to Deserve This?” in the late 1980s. Otherwise many of us could have long forgotten the throaty blues singe, bringing a different style and aura to the usual husky and soul touching blues singer. The blues singer has been a cusp of two worlds really. She comes from a culture which was not accustomed to be pronounced in blues singing. But as a child Dusty was always bent on becoming a blues singer. She wanted to change the way blues singing was perceived. Even with her catholic upbringing, her friends would recall, she could make blues singing sound raunchy as a child!

Springfield has always been specific with diction and pronunciation with some mainstream strictures maintained with blues singing. Though her followers were mainly an audience of white she did all the work to make it sound the authentic. From early school talent contests Dusty made it a point that her blues rendering was all for soul and jazz. Even when she went on to form the band The Lana Sisters, with Riss Chantelle and Lynne Abrams. They were doing busy pop rounds with a total soul route. So their dripping really sounded harmonious and breathy. However they had to compete with the likes of rock n roll boy groups and also pop singers like Cliff Richard and Tommy Steele during that time.

As a pronounced individual singer, Dusty’s talents continued to flourish with time. So even after the group she went on to be a solo crowd turner. She was later paid tribute to by likes of Elton John and Cher.

MUSIC MATES » Dusty Springfield

Dusty Springfield: the Legendary Woman in Pop