Shirley Bassey

Best-known internationally for her poised, belting rendition of the theme to Goldfinger (1964) from the James Bond series, Shirley Bassey became one of the most enduringly popular vocalists in Britain in the second half of the 20th century. After reaching the top of the U.K. charts in 1959 with "As I Love You," she was tapped to sing "Goldfinger," which hit the U.S. Top Ten. Though later chart placings in the U.S. were few, she continued to do well in Britain, France, and the Netherlands into the mid-'70s and beyond. Appointed a DBE in 2000, she recorded into her eighties, releasing I Owe It All to You in 2020. It became her first album in 50 years to reach the U.K. Top Five. ~ John Bush