Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
b. Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien,
16 April 1939, Hampstead, London.
d. 2 March 1999, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.
 
1960   [Age 19-20]
In 1960, after other performance ventures, Mary joined with her brother Dion O'Brien [b. 2 July 1934, Hampstead, London] and Tim Feild to form a folk group they called, "The Springfields." They adopted the stage names Tom and Dusty Springfield and had an early hit in America with their "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" (although the single was notably not a hit in the UK).
 
1961   [Age 20-21]
May 1961. "Dear John" / "I Done What They Told Me to" [Philips]
31 August 1961. "Breakaway" [charts , Philips BF 1168, UK #31]
Fall 1961. Kinda Folksy [Philips LP]
16 November 1961. "Bambino" [charts, Philips BF 1178, UK #16]
13 December 1962. "Island of Dreams" [charts, Philips 326557 BF, UK #5]
 
1963   [Age 21-22]
January. Named "Best Vocal Group" in New Musical Express and "Top Vocal/Instrumental Group" in Melody Maker for 1962.
February. "Goodnight Irene" [Philips, no chart action]
28 March. "Say I Won't Be There" [charts, Philips 326577 BF, UK #5]
25 July. "Come On Home" [charts, Philips BF 1263, UK #31]
August. "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" [Philips, no UK chart action; US top 20]
Summer. Folk Songs from the Hills [recorded in Nashville, Philips]
Fall. Tom Feild leaves after tensions between Dusty and Tom escalate. They replace him with Mike Hurst [aka Longhurst-Pickworth], but the ensemble soon disassembles. Tom goes full time into production (The Seekers) and songwriting. Dusty moves towards R&B style music and a solo career, producing her own recordings. Hurst would go on to produce Cat Stevens.
21 November. "I Only Want to Be with You" / "Once upon a Time" [Philips BF1292, UK #4].
 
1964   [Age 22-23]
Dusty becomes one of the most recognizable female figures in 1960s British pop with her "beehive" hair style and dark eye mascara. She also became a promoter of American rhythm and blues and Motown.
20 February. "Stay Awhile" / "Something Special" [charts, Philips BF1313, UK #13]
2 July. "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" / "My Colouring Book" [charts, Philips BF1348, UK #3]
22 October. "Losing You" / "Summer Is Over" [charts, Philips BF1369, UK #9]
Fall. A Girl Called Dusty [Philips LP]
November. "Oh Holy Child" / [Springfields: Jingle Bells] [no chart action, Philips BF1381]
9 December. After Springfield performs before a mixed audience, the South Afican government deports her.
 
1965   [Age 23-24]
18 February. "You're Hurtin' Kinda Love" / "Don't Say It Baby" [charts, Philips BF1396, UK #37]
1 July. "In the Middle of Nowhere" / "Baby Don't You Know" [charts, Philips BF1418, UK #8]
Summer. Ev'rything's Coming Up Dusty [Philips LP]
16 September. "Some of Your Lovin'" / "I'll Love You for a While" [charts, Philips BF1430, UK #8]
 
1966 [Age 24-25]
27 January. "Little by Little" / "If It Hadn't Been for You" [charts, Philips BF1466, UK #17]
31 March. "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" / "Every Ounce of Strength" [charts, Philips BF1482, UK #1]
7 July. "Goin' Back" / "I'm Gonna Leave You" [charts, Philips BF1502, UK #10]
15 September. "All I See Is You" / "Go Ahead On" [charts, Philips BF1510, UK #9]
November. In preparations for a concert in New York, Springield has an altercation with drummer Buddy Rich. She was headlining the show and was to rehearse with Rich's band. After one of Rich's notorious expletive-ridden outbursts, Springfield punched him in the face. (See The Virgin Encyclopedia of 60s Music, p. 454.)
With the increased importance of alternative pop, Springfield moves to Memphis where she records Dusty in Memphis with Thomas Dowd, Jerry Wexler, and Arif Mardin with the hit song, "Son of a Preacher Man." She had a minor comeback in the late 80s, joining forces with the Pet Shop Boys on "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" In 1999, shortly after the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted her and the Queen awarded her an OBE, she died after a long battle with breast cancer.
Images and information sources:
Woman of Repute: An Unofficial Web-site Dedicated to Dusty Springfield
Skidmore College Schedule The Zombies
  20-feb-12