Dusty: An Intimate Portrait of a Musical Legend

(Hardback)

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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.

Reviews

"4/5 Karen Bartlett's biography sends you back to the music - to the extraordinary, dusky vulnerability of her voice. I'm re-touched every time I hear it." The Telegraph "This is fertile rock biog territory and 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] lucid biography."Sunday Business Post "[This book] is rich with information on some of her most significant personal relationships... paint[s] a vivid portrait of a tortured soul." Out in the City '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 'A definitive biography of the singer.' International Express 'It's an incredibly sad story but Bartlett gets the balance right, celebrating a talent with few equals, while never shying away from the pain involved.' MOJO '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

Author Bio

Karen Bartlett is a writer and journalist based in London. She has written extensively for the Sunday Times, The Times, The Guardian and WIRED from Africa, India and the US, and has presented and produced for BBC Radio. She was the youngest director of democratic reform and human rights campaign group Charter88, and began her career in the UK and South Africa. Most recently, she worked with Eva Schloss, writing her Sunday Times bestselling autobiography After Auschwitz: A Story of Heartbreak and Survival by the Stepsister of Anne Frank.