Today an article from the Daily Telegraph.
As posted earlier this week on Facebook London’s getting its own version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
On Tuesday (September 4) Royal Albert Hall commemorated some of the most famous people who have contributed to the venue since its opening 150 years ago with engraved paving stones. Adele is among the first 11 celebrities to be honored.
The 30-year-old singer is the youngest star the legendary concert hall recognized. Her 2011 rendition of “Set Fire To The Rain” at the venue won a Grammy for best pop solo performance.
Adele is joined by fellow musicians Eric Clapton, who has performed at Royal Albert Hall 200 times; Dame Shirley Bassey, who has performed there 45 times, and The Who frontman Roger Daltrey, who has hosted several Teenage Cancer Trust concerts since 2000.
The first star is dedicated to Queen Victoria, who laid foundation stone in 1867 ahead of the hall’s official opening in 1871. Another pays tribute to the Suffragettes, who held 25 meetings there between 1908 and 1918.
Sir Winston Churchill is honored for the 16 speeches he made at the venue between 1911 and 1959, as well as Albert Einstein, who addressed the venue in 1933 about his fears over the state of Europe ahead of Hitler’s election that year. Muhammad Ali, who fought at the hall three times between 1971 and 1979, also received a stone.
The unveiling is part of the Royal Albert Hall’s 150th Anniversary celebration.
And what better way to end this blog post than with these wonderful performances by the Dame at the Royal Albert Hall in 1972 and in 2001.
Message from Dennis
Thank you & all Dame Shirley fans from the
Shirley Bassey Blog for all your kind messages
wishing me well & for a Speedy recovery
Kind Regards , Dennis
Dame Shirley Bassey fan Dennis Welch recently received a letter from Dame Shirley as he is in hospital for lung surgery. On behalve of the blog team and I am sure of all the Dame Shirley fans we wish him a speedy recovery!
Dame Shirley Bassey fan Dennis Welch says it was a ‘dream come true’ to receive a handwritten note from the international superstar wishing him all the best with his lung cancer treatment.
Mr Welch, who has followed the career of the Big Spender singer since he was 17, received the letter with a postmark from Monte Carlo shortly before he underwent an operation in Southampton to remove half his lung.
Last year, Mr Welch was featured in the JEP speaking of his heartbreak at not being able to get a ticket to the Jersey Style Awards where Dame Shirley was set to appear – only to be surprised at the last minute by a kind-hearted Islander who gave the St Brelade pensioner the opportunity to see his hero once again.
Dame Shirley sent the letter after a friend of Mr Welch contacted her to tell her about his illness.
In it, she writes: ‘I was very sad to read of your illness and wish and hope and pray that you come through with flying colours. It is good to know that you are thinking positive.
‘I send my love and best wishes, Dame Shirley.’
The letter also sends the singer’s thanks for the Jersey fudge and toffee that Mr Welch had sent her, as well as a mug with a picture of the 79-year-old and Dame Shirley at the Jersey Style Awards.
‘What a fantastic artist she is to write to me,’ Mr Welch said. ‘It is a dream come true. The kindness she has shown me – she is the girl with the golden heart.’
Mr Welch, who has amassed a large collection of Dame Shirley memorabilia over the years, said that he took a photograph of the letter – as it was too precious to take with him – when he went to Southampton.
While waiting for his operation he wrote back to say how much her words had meant to him and added: ‘When I come round from my surgery, which is due shortly, the first thing I see are your kind written words.’ (From the Jersey Evening Post)
Today an article from 1992 about Gerry Freeman. He was Dame Shirley Bassey’s drummer from 1980 till 1998.
