Get This Party Started: Shirley Bassey Turns 77

Today, Dame Shirley Bassey turns 77. The dramatic singer, known for her powerful pipes and expressive hand gestures, rose to prominence in the 1950s in the UK. (She was born in Tiger Bay, Cardiff, Wales.) She is perhaps best known in the US as the vocalist of the James Bond movie theme songs for Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker, but she is an international superstar with hits ranging from "What Now My Love," "This Is My Life," "All By Myself," "Disco La Passione" to "The Living Tree" and "Get This Party Started." 

The multi-award winner's last album was The Performance in 2009. It included songs written by John Barry, Pet Shop Boys, Rufus Wainwright, Manic Street Preachers, KT Tunstall and others. Many of her songs have been made for, or remixed for, the dancefloors since the 1970s and new mixes of "We Got Music" are expected in 2014.

Recently, Bassey performed at the Rainforest Foundation Fund concert along with Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Elton John, Lady Gaga and Debbie Harry, in 2010, at New York's Carnegie Hall. In 2012, she performed along with Elton John, Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Cliff Richard and Tom Jones at the Queen’s 60th Jubilee Party at Buckingham Palace.

At the Academy awards ceremony in 2013, there was a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the James Bond movie series. It was Bassey's first appearance at the Oscars as a performer^,  She sang "Goldfinger" and received a long, thunderous and well-deserved standing ovation for her performance.

Bassey currently resides in Monaco. We wish her a very happy birthday and continued success.