On Demand
The Ballad of Dusty Springfield
Friday, November 21, 2008
Way before Amy Winehouse, singer Dusty Springfield was the first British soloist to break into the US top ten charts with her 1964 hit, "I Only Want To Be With You." Annie Randall, musicologist and author of "Dusty!: Queen of the Postmods," talks about how the former convent school girl became the "White Queen of Soul.”
Soundcheck blog: John Schaefer on Dusty Springfield, "blue-eyed soul," and race
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There's no such thing as black music. Just as Irish music is not Green music.
Music belongs to everyone and cannot be stolen.
Beethoven used an Irish air in his magnificent 7th symphony.. we are proud he did, not resentful.
Elvis Presley with a versatility beyond compare introduced us all to a very wide range of music indeed.
What about the British singer CARMEL?
She is another blue-eyed soul singer from the 1980's. It's impossible to get her CD's in the U.S.
Carmel has the best voice and was also influenced by Ronnie Spector.
Dusty Springfield is exceptional because she could actually sing. She could sustain a note.
To your guest:
Maurice's point is that since we can all appreciate music no matter where it comes from it stands to reason that all music everywhere belongs to all of us. Unless you want to claim that the only reason that Mick Jagger or Elvis or Dusty sang the songs influenced by Black-American culture simply for financial reasons only and not because something about that music touched them deeply I think your rebuff to Maurice is a bit pompous.
Jeffrey Slott, I cannot see a serious rebuff.
The whole world of discerning listeners knows Elvis Presley had an extraordinary voice.
Musicoligists are still to this day attempting to come to terms with it.
Annie Randall's book is excellent and worth reeading if you're interested in 1960's British Soul and British Pop/Pop Culture or just the supreme vocal/interpretive excellence of Dusty Springfield. Dusty ALWAYS, until the end of her days, credited and championed her African-American soul artist idols. She was an important ground-breaker and not like anybody else. She's one of our best loved Pop and British Soul Icons.
British Motown fans respect Dusty (Queen of the Mods) for championing Motown in 1965 -check out the show she inspired, participated in and hosted: Ready Steady Go (RSG) Sound of Motown on YouTube. This is the exactly when Motown 'invaded' the UK.
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