"Although in America we know her best for her sexy, sassy vocal contribution to the James Bond franchise (yes, that's her belting out ""Goldfinger,"" ""Big Spender"" and other 007 themes), Shirley Bassey is one of Britain's most cherished female stars.Shirley Bassey, known as Bassey the Belter and the Tigress of Tiger Bay, was born in Tiger Bay, Cardiff in Wales in 1937 as the youngest of seven children. Shirley started her singing career singing duets with her brother and earned extra money signing at men's club after-hours upon graduation (she worked at a local factory by day). After a few years spent travelling around her native Wales, Bassey had her big break come in 1955 when she performed at a London Christmas show hosted by comedian Al Read (she got the gig when the event promoter, band leader Jack Hylton, heard Bassey at the nearby Albany Club). Bassey was hired to sing in Read's revue, Such is Life, and subsequent to her year-long stint she signed with Philips Records.In 1957 Bassey released the British Top Ten single ""Banana Boat Song"" and followed its success with two Number One hits- 1959's ""As I Love You"" and 1961's ""Reach for the Stars/Climb Every Mountain."" Bassey broke into the States when she joined forces with arranger Nelson Riddle in 1962 and crossed the pond to headline shows in New York and Las Vegas in the early 1960's. In 1965 Bassey's ""Goldfinger"" soared to the number eight spot on the American charts and became her calling card in the States (despite not doing as well in Britain). In the U.K., Bassey saw success into the min'70s with the Top Tenners ""Something,"" ""For All We Know,"" and ""Never Never Never.""In 1997 Bassey received the Britannia Award for Best Female Solo Singer in the last 50 years and after headlining her own popular BBC TV show in the late ‘70s she retired to Switzerland in 1981, although she returned to Cardiff in the ‘90s to open a nightclub and once again brought her show on the road for a world tour."