The year 2006 was a turning point in Dame Shirley Bassey’s career. That year was her last concert tour with all sell out concerts. There were rumors that it was the last tour but that was never confirmed. I remember we saw her in London and we all noticed things were different. Something was missing and it was like she was going through the motions and not really enjoying herself anymore. The voiced was great, the show was great but it was not the same as before. We all agreed on that but we also were so very grateful for what we got over the years and we all knew how much she worked all those years and how much she had given. But there was still a lot in store for us. The Faenol festival and at the end of the year there was the Marks & Spencer commercial which let to her collaboration with Never The Bride and two hits Get The Party Started & The Living Tree and in 2007 a performance at Glastonbury!
Saturday June 32 Saturday June 3 2006
DAME Shirley Bassey’s sell-out homecoming concert next week could be the last time fans will see her perform in Wales, her sister has revealed.
Eileen Hopkins, 74, has broken her silence about her famous younger. sibling for the first time in 20 years, to reveal that Shirley wants to get closer to her family.
Tickets have sold out 69-year-old Shirley’s homecoming concert at the CIA in Cardiff on Tuesday but it may be her last show in Wales, according to Eileen, who lives with her husband David in Llanrumney, Cardiff. Eileen also claimed rumours rife in the press about a lack of closeness between Shirley and her family are “rubbish and exaggerated”.
She said: “She may have a bit of money, be a Dame and live in Monte Carlo, but to me she’ll always be the same old Shirley.
“I think, though, she wants to retire and you can see her slowing down and doing fewer concerts.
“I think every time she comes for home, and now that she’s getting older, she wants to feel more a part of the family and spend more time with her grand kids.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if this was her last show in Wales, “Not that I see her coming back to live here- but never say never. “For many years, we only really used to talk at birthdays, Christmas and, of course, after her concerts in Cardiff. “But lately she’s been ringing me a lot more which makes me think she wants to feel more a part of the family. She is not really the diva everyone makes out she is. 
Dame Shirley Bassey Blog 
Still have the feathers she gave me off this outfit at NEC Birmingham!
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I saw the 2006 tour at Wembley Arena and thought she was superb, you could not have seen her in London , a few nights in a row as there was only 1 concert at the end of a short tour. It is all awhile ago but `Another Audience with ` was 2005, before this last tour,., I loved the whole performance especially including `THE LIVING TREE` & `HERE`S TO LIFE` . I did not need to hear `BIG SPENDER` twice, it could have allowed another great song to be included. I wondered if it would be the last time but then I wondered that 3 years earlier in the same venue.
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You are right Terrence! Thanks for your comment. Always very helpful and welcome so we can get the facts right
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This is a great blog post. But wasn’t there just one London show in 2006, at Wembley?
For me, ‘the end’ came even earlier, back in 2000. There was a night at the Royal Festival Hall where you could see in her eyes that the magic had gone. 😔
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