Along with Dusty Springfield, the list includes such artists as Nirvana, U2, The Rolling Stones, Patty Smith, Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Liz Phair, Ray Charles, Radiohead, The Who, The Sex Pistols, Jimi Hendrix, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Lauryn Hill, The Doors, Curtis Mayfield, The Eagles, David Bowie, Sinead O'Connor, Prince, and Pearl Jam.

VH1's list of the "100 greatest Albums of Rock 'n' Roll" was determined by 500 musicians and journalists.

JANUARY 2001
FRED PERRY, DUSTY'S FRIEND AND FORMER LIGHTING DESIGNER & STAGE DIRECTOR, DIES IN CALIFORNIA
On December 1, 2000, Geraldine Moyle informed the DustyMail list serve that Fred Perry, Dusty Springfield's longtime friend and professional colleague, had passed away in California on November 28 after a long illness.

In her December 1 posting, Geraldine notes that "Fred's career in Britain straddled the last pangs of vaudeville and the first stirrings of rock 'n' roll . . . He first crossed paths with Dusty in the late 1950s when she was a Lana Sister and he was a roadie for Cherry Wainer. Both acts were playing post-WWII American air bases in Britain. By 1963, with Dusty a solo artist, she joined sponsored tours on which Fred was already working. Their further professional connection was cemented by Fred's skills as a lighting designer . . ."

Though Fred was a close friend of Dusty's from 1963 in Britain to the mid-1970s in the US, their friendship did not survive Dusty's late-1970s life in Los Angeles. Nevertheless, they did achieve a reconciliation in the early-1990s, and Fred attended Dusty's funeral in March 1999.

Geraldine notes that Fred's "loyalty to Dusty was absolute, his love unchanged and unchanging."

FEBRUARY 2001
DUSTY MOVIE IN THE WORKS
"You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" is the working title for a planned TV movie based on the life and career of Dusty Springfield. The film will be one of four TV movies to be made this year for U.S. cable channel VH1 by Madonna and Guy Richie's production company. The movies, including the one focusing on Dusty, are scheduled to be screened on VHI either later this year or in early 2002.

"You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" will be produced by Ned Kandel and written by Nancy Savoca. Among Savoca's writing credits is the acclaimed "If These Walls Could Talk" - a series of three TV movies for HBO which recently garnered British actress Vanessa Redgrave a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a TV Drama.

Dusty's friend and colleague, Simon Bell, recently conducted an insightful interview with Ned Kandel, the producer of "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me". Kandel said that "there [will be] three themes running through the film: [Dusty's] ambition, her Catholicism and her sexuality." He noted that "our major effort is to reconcile how these themes affected who she was and what she did."

A full transcript of Simon Bell's interview with Ned Kandel can be found on Simon's excellent web site, Dusty Devotedly.

FEBRUARY 2001

BEAUTIFUL SOUL RELEASED
On February 6, 2001, US-based Hip-O Records released Dusty Springfield's 1973 album Cameo along with all but one of the ten tracks from her unreleased 1974 album Longing, on a single disc entitled Beautiful Soul - The ABC/Dunhill Collection.

The Longing tracks have been remixed, resulting in different sounding versions from the three tracks that appeared on last year's Simply Dusty boxed set.

The full track list for the Hip-O release is as follows:

MARCH 2001

MARGIE ADAM CONTACTS DUSTY WEBSITES
American singer/songwriter Margie Adam recently contacted several of the websites dedicated to Dusty Springfield.

"Dear fans of Dusty,' she wrote, "I am writing to request a link from your site to mine. I am the songwriter whose song, 'Beautiful Soul,' is featured on the newly released CD compilation, Beautiful Soul: The ABC/Dunhill Collection [See below].

"I began listening to Dusty Springfield when I was a teenager in the '60s. Her renditions of 'All Cried Out' and 'You Don't Have To Say You Love Me' sent me into a swoon each time I heard them. What I identified with was her voice: the mix of power and vulnerability, of longing and defiance.

"When I became a singer-songwriter myself, I had only one dream: that Dusty Springfield would one day record one of my tunes. Imagine my excitement when Dusty arranged to record my song, 'Beautiful Soul' in the early '70s. Imagine my disappointment when this song, along with others, remained buried in the vault for almost 30 years.

"Now I, along with you, am thrilled by Dusty's new release: Beautiful Soul: The ABC/Dunhill Collection, with my song as the title track. I invite you to visit my website, www.margieadam.com to learn more about my work and my music . . . One to another, Margie Adam.

APRIL 2001

DUSTY IN MEMPHIS INDUCTED INTO THE GRAMMY HALL OF FAME
Dusty Springfield's landmark 1969 album, Dusty in Memphis has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. On February 12, 2001, the Hall released a press statement saying that 31 recordings have been added to its "timeless list which now includes 530 titles."

The Grammy Hall of Fame was established in 1973 in the United States by the Recording Academy Trustees to honor recordings of enduring quality and relevance or historical significance. Recordings can be either single tracks or full length albums. Balloting is open to recordings released more than 25 years ago and are selected by a panel of respected professionals from the recording arts field, including musicologists and historians.

"The Grammy Hall of Fame is one of the Academy's most prized endeavors, spotlighting recorded musical masterpieces that have significantly impacted our musical history," said Academy President/CEO Michael Greene. "This year's selections are timeless performances and compilations . . . Selections are drawn from all major categories of music, acknowledging an embrace of the diversity of musical expression . . ."

Along with Dusty in Memphis (one of the few album inductees) other recordings inducted include the Beatles' 1968 classic "Hey Jude," Ray Charles' 1962 tune "I Can't Stop Loving You," the Supremes' 1965 anthem "Stop! In the Name of Love." James Brown and the Famous Flames' 1956 hit "Please, Please, Please," Patsy Cline's 1961 recording "I Fall To Pieces," and John Coltrane's 1960 jazz exposition Giant Steps.

A complete list of the Hall of Fame inductees for 2001, along with the entire list of Grammy Hall of Fame recipients can be found at www.grammy.com.

APRIL 2001

GOOD TIMES RELEASED
The Dusty Springfield Bulletin (DSB) is proud to offer its latest CD to subscribers. Entitled Good Times, this 2 CD release contains 48 live television performances for the BBC between 1966 and 1979.

The track listing of Good Times is as follows:

Good Times is released by arrangement with the BBC and is exclusively available through the Dusty Springfield Bulletin. All proceeds are being donated to The Royal Marsden N.H.S. Trust.

APRIL 2001

DUSTY DAY GOES GLOBAL
At least three events marking the birthday, life and musical legacy of Dusty Springfield will be taking place around the world on Sunday, April 15, 2001

In England, the second annual Dusty Day will be held at Henley-on-Thames. As part of Dusty Day UK, several venues in Henley-on-Thames, including The Queen's Head and The Horse and Groom Pub, will be hosting various festive events including raffles, karaoke, quizes, cabaret, video screenings and disco.

The Dusty Day 2001 logo pictured above was designed by artist Colin Lench. Colin has also produced a special Dusty Calendar which will be available for purchase only at the U.K. Dusty Day celebration. All proceeds from the sale of the calendar will go to the Royal Marsden Hospital. The cover of the Dusty Calendar can be viewed exclusively on Andy Robinson's website Dusty Springfield: The White Lady of Soul.

Tickets are required for Dusty Day UK, and to purchase them or to find out more about this special event, visit the official Dusty Day website.

In the United States, Richard Fox is organizing Dusty Day USA. "This is the stateside answer to the successful British affair known as Dusty Day," Richard recently shared via DustyMail. "The success of this first [UK] event and the anticipation of the second has created a large demand for an American version of this celebration. This event is designed not only to be a celebration of the woman and her music for and by her fans, but also a way to address the subject of breast cancer. All proceeds will be donated to The Royal Marsden Hospital, Dusty Springfield's charity of choice."

Dusty Day USA will take place at the Lower East Side's The Slipper Room (167 Orchard Street). There will be a $10.00 admission charge. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and show begins at 7:00 p.m. The event will feature "performances from a bevy of New York's newest talents interpreting some of Dusty's best loved songs and some forgotten gems plus some Very Special Guests," says Richard. "DJ Robeena Diet-Biscuit will spin a mix of Dusty, her peers and disciples, and we will present a raffle of some incredible Dusty merchandise including videos and CDs. All in all this is one New York event not to be missed." Richard can be contacted at DustyDayNY@yahoo.com

The 29th South African Dusty Day will be held on Sunday, April 15, in Cape Town. For further information regarding Dusty Day in South Africa, contact William at waw@musica.co.za

APRIL 2001
PLAQUE UNVEILED AT DUSTY'S FORMER LONDON RESIDENCE
A plaque honoring Dusty Springfield was unveiled Sunday, April 29, 2001, on the front exterior wall of a house she lived in during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The tribute is the first ever Music Heritage Plaque made by the prestigious Heritage Foundation in the U.K.

The circular blue plaque is at 38 Aubrey Walk in the London district of Kensington. Dusty's close friend Simon Bell notes on his website Dusty Devotedly that "although the plaque says [she lived here] from 1966-1972, Dusty didn't buy the house until the summer of 1968."

Simon also reported that the unveiling was a "group effort" by Madeleine Bell, Pat Rhodes, Billie Davies, Frank Allen, Shirley Ann Field, and himself. Numerous celebrities were in attendance and a luncheon, charity auction and "cabaret of Dusty's songs" followed the unveiling ceremony. For a full report on this event - including images - see Simon's website.

JUNE 2001

DUSTY SPRINGFIELD SWEET PEA
Unwin Seeds of the United Kingdom will be releasing a specially-bred variety of Sweet Pea in honor of Dusty Springfield. BBC2 radio presenter Sarah Kennedy will launch the Dusty Springfield Sweet Pea at a private function in late summer. The seeds will be available for public purchase on August 8, 2001. Twenty-five pence from each packet of seeds sold will be donated to the Royal Marsden Hospital and their research into breast cancer treatment.

Unwins Seeds are promoting the Dusty Springfield Sweet Pea as "a deep orange-cerise variety" and as "a vigorous grower [with] superb flower form on long, strong stems." The flowers are "lightly perfumed."

Andy Robinson, creator of the Dusty Springfield: White Lady of Soul website, has been tirelessly investigating and reporting on the progress of Unwins Seeds' very special tribute to Dusty. For further information about the Dusty Springfield Sweet Pea, check Andy's site.

JUNE 2001

NEW DUSTY SPRINGFIELD BIOGRAPHY PUBLISHED
Edward Leeson's long-awaited biography, "Dusty Springfield: A Life in Music," was published recently in the United Kingdom. The book can be ordered through Amazon.co.uk or purchased at a discounted price through The Dusty Springfield Bulletin (DSB).

A review of this latest book on Dusty can be found at Dusty Devotedly - the website created and maintained by Dusty's friend and colleague Simon Bell.

June 2001

DUSTY DAY: A GLOBAL SUCCESS
At least three events celebrating the birthday, life, and career of Dusty Springfield took place in various parts of the world in April.

Photographs from the Dusty Day 2001 celebrations in Henley-on-Thames, England, can be viewed at the Dusty Day 2001 website and at Andy Robinson's website Dusty Springfield: The White Lady of Soul. Thanks to Andy for permission to use the above photograph from his website.

Dusty Day celebrations also took place in New York City and South Africa.

JUNE 2001
WILLIAM WHITEHEAD REMEMBERED
Members of the Internet's DustyMail listserve were shocked and saddened by the recent news from South Africa that longtime Dusty fan William Whitehead was killed in his home by an intruder intent on robbery.

William did much to promote Dusty's music in South Africa - including forming a group of Dusty fans called SADR (South African Dusty Revival) and organizing for the past 29 years an annual Dusty Day Celebration. William also often shared his love of Dusty and his knowledge about her career via DustyMail. In so doing he contributed greatly to making this listserve the interesting and insightful forum it is.

Over the years DustyMail members have formed a very special cyber-community built not only upon dedication to the life and career of Dusty Springfield, but also upon respect and concern for one another.

Accordingly, like my fellow DustyMailers, I'll miss William's presence in this forum and extend my deepest sympathy to his family and friends.

AUGUST 2001

"DANCING WITH DEMONS"--PORTRAIT OF A TROUBLED DIVA--SET FOR U.S. PUBLICATION
St. Martins Press in the United States is set to publish Penny Valentine and Vicki Wickham's biography of Dusty Springfield in early September.

Entitled "Dancing With Demons: The Authorized Biography of Dusty Springfield", the book was originally published in the United Kingdom in August 2000. Since it's release it has caused considerable controversy among Dusty's friends and fans.

At the heart of many people's dissatisfaction with "Dancing With Demons" is it's overt emphasis on Dusty's troubled years in America (1973-1989). The comments of Andy Robinson, creator of the Dusty Springfield: The White Lady of Soul website, typify much of the sentiment that has been expressed since "Dancing With Demons" was first published in the U.K: "[The book's focus] on Dusty's episodes of self harm, substance abuse, sexuality, self-loathing, and incarceration in mental institutions . . . appears to show little respect towards the private and sensitive woman Dusty was . . . and [does] little in drawing people's attention to the hugely gifted singer that she was and the rich legacy she has left us."

Simon Bell, creator of the Dusty Devotedly website, and a close friend of Dusty's, reported in September 2000 that when the authors of "Dancing With Demons" appeared on the U.K. television show "Open House," Vicki was asked if Dusty had been the one who had "authorised" the book. Her response, notes Simon, was to repeat "the controversial statement that it had been authorised by the estate - of which Tom Springfield [Dusty's brother] is the major partner." Simon also observed that "Penny in particular looked very uncomfortable and said that she felt Dusty would be amused by the revelations in the book." Such a comment impelled Simon to declare: "That confirms what I already thought - that she really didn't know Dusty!"

To her credit, Vicki Wickham (who was Dusty's manager during the late '80s and '90s) did contact Simon and expressed her "regrets" over the book. "I think I must have been too close to the book" she said. "I really believed that we had presented a balanced picture. Looking at it now, I see that . . . if I were to write it again today I would leave the details [of Dusty's personal problems] out". Vicki also acknowledged that there were numerous "musical inaccuracies" in the text, and that it was "inexcusable in a musical biography to have so much of the detail wrong". Vicki also admitted that the book's description of Simon and Dusty's friendship as "volatile" was "not the case."

Simon compiled and submitted to Vicki a list of the book's errors in relation to Dusty's music career. Fred Perry, Dusty's friend and long-time lighting director, also submitted to the book's U.K.'s publisher an extensive list of corrections. It remains to be seen if these corrections were made in the U.S. edition of the book.

Following is Publisher's Weekly review of the U.S. edition of "Dancing With Demons" (ISBN 0312282028):

Arguably Britain's top pop singer, Dusty Springfield (1939-1999) possessed a voice that survived decades of abuse and, over four decades of recording, proved to be equally adept at lushly orchestrated pop tunes (You Don't Have to Say You Love Me), R & B (Son of a Preacher Man) and disco (What Have I Done to Deserve This?). The confidence she exuded on vinyl was a facade masking severe insecurities, addictions to drink and drugs, bouts of self-mutilation and fear of losing her career if exposed as a lesbian. With her towering blonde beehive hairdo, panda-eye black mascara and elaborate hand gestures, Springfield had a decade of international hits in the 1960s before moving to the U.S., where her demons crippled her career. By the late '70s, she was once again releasing critically acclaimed albums with lackluster sales. Her career resurrected in the late '80s when her duet with the Pet Shop Boys became a global hit. With most of her demons behind her, the singer battled cancer for the last five years of her life, dying just shy of her 60th birthday and weeks before being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Although one wonders just who authorized this, as Springfield didn't participate in the writing of the book, the two authors are knowledgeable insiders (Wickham was Dusty's manager for 13 years and Valentine was a close friend and music journalist). The unvarnished portrait of a troubled, volatile and gifted singer is told with equal parts compassion and sensation. Most of Springfield's more eyebrow-raising incidents were played out of the spotlight (fans will get a first look at what went on during the "missing years" of the '70s); with this fast-paced tell-all bringing them center stage, she may soon rival Judy Garland for tragic diva status.

For various reviews of the U.K. edition of "Dancing With Demons" see the Reviews section of Woman of Repute.

SEPTEMBER 2001
VH1's DUSTY MOVIE "DROPPED"
Simon Bell reports on his website, Dusty Devotedly, that U.S. cable channel VH1's proposed TV movie on the life and career of Dusty Springfield has been "dropped" due to "management changes" at VH1.

"You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" had been the working title for the planned TV movie-one of four that were to be made this year for VH1 by Madonna and Guy Richie's production company.

The film was to have been produced by Ned Kandel and written by Nancy Savoca-whose writing credits include the acclaimed "If These Wall Could Talk," a series of three TV movies for HBO. One of these movies garnered British actress Vanessa Redgrave a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a TV Drama.

Although several scripts had been submitted, no casting for "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" had been undertaken. New backers for the project are currently being sought.

Last year Dusty's friend and colleague, Simon Bell, conducted an insightful interview with Ned Kandel. At that time Kandel had noted that "there [will be] three themes running through the film: [Dusty's] ambition, her Catholicism and her sexuality." He had also noted that "our major effort is to reconcile how these themes affected who she was and what she did."

A full transcript of Simon Bell's interview with Ned Kandel can be found on Simon's excellent web site Dusty Devotedly.

OCTOBER 2001
DUSTY DAY 2002
The date for the third annual Dusty Day UK celebration has recently been announced. Dusty Day 2002 will take place on Sunday, April 14, in Henley-on-Thames. In past years this very special celebration has been praised as an entertaining and festive gathering of people from around the world celebrating all things Dusty! The 2002 celebration will be no exception.

Dusty Day 2002 is being organized by Julie Oliver. For more information call 07979-262-842 (+44-7979-262-842 from outside the UK) or write to Julie at julieimsyillhere@yahoo.com or dustyday2002@yahoo.co.uk.

NOVEMBER 2001

TWO CLASSIC DUSTY ALBUMS REISSUED IN THE U.K.
Mercury UK has recently reissued Dusty's 1968 album Dusty . . .Definitely and her 1970 "Philly Soul" album From Dusty With Love (A Brand New Me in the US). Both albums come with bonus tracks. Dusty . . . Definitely contains "No Stranger Am I," "Meditation," "The Colour Of Your Eyes" (Remix), and "Spooky." From Dusty With Love contains the bonus tracks "The Richest Girl Alive" (Remix), "Summer Love" (Remix) and "I Wanna Be A Free Girl." For the original tracklisting of both of these albums see the Discography page of this site.

Simon Bell reports on his excellent Dusty Devotedly website that Mercury UK will release the following Dusty albums on March 4, 2002--two days after the third anniversary of Dusty's death: See All Her Faces (1972), Cameo (1973), It Begins Again (1978), and White Heat (1982). The release of these four albums will leave only Dusty's 1979 album Living Without Your Love unissued on CD.

NOVEMBER 2001

ULTIMATE DUSTY REFERENCE BOOK SET FOR RELEASE
Dusty Springfield Bulletin editor Paul Howes has written a comprehensive volume detailing Dusty's entire recording output. Entitled The Complete Dusty Springfield, the book takes every song recorded by Dusty and details writers, producers, arrangers, release dates, chart placement (if applicable), and anecdotal snippets about each song's recording and background. Quotes by Dusty concerning each song will also be included, as will descriptions and critiques by Paul, a highly respected expert on Dusty's career and musicality.

Other features of The Complete Dusty Springfield will include UK and US discographies, details of Dusty's major live performances and television & radio appearances, and over 70 rare photographs of Dusty on stage and in the recording studio.

The Complete Dusty Springfield will be the ultimate reference book on the musical legacy of Dusty Springfield. For more information about its release date and price, I suggest checking the website of Amazon UK

Amazon UK's synopsis of The Complete Dusty Springfield reads as follows:

When shy convent girl Mary O'Brien reinvented herself as Dusty Springfield, one of the most glamorous, accomplished and acclaimed pop divas of the 1960s was born. Dusty's career began with The Lana Sisters, and continued with folk group The Springfields, before her first solo success in 1963 with the unforgettable 'I Only Want To be With You'. Subsequent million-sellers included 'I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself', 'You Don't Have To Say You Love Me' and 'Son of a Preacher Man'. As the 1960s came to a close, critical acclaim and a successful BBC television series couldn't save Dusty's recording career, and she slipped into obscurity. Following a self-imposed exile marred by alcohol and drug abuse, she re-emerged in 1987 to enjoy new success duetting with the Pet Shop Boys. Dusty finally lost her long battle with cancer in 1999, just short of her sixtieth birthday. Tracing Dusty's career is a daunting proposition, made complicated by simultaneous transatlantic record deals and a number of failed comebacks. No one is better qualified to tackle the task than Paul Howes, editor of The Dusty Springfield Bulletin and associate producer of 2000's acclaimed four CD box set Simply Dusty. Howes details every song and album in Dusty's entire catalogue, revealing new recording session information from the archives of Philips Records. Howes also describes the 'lost' recordings from the 1960s and 70s, many of which still languish in the vaults awaiting an official release. Full details of foreign editions and rarities are also provided in this encyclopedia of every track Dusty Springfield recorded--released and unreleased.

DECEMBER 2001

NEW COMPILATION ALBUM RELEASED IN THE U.S.
U.S.-based Hip-O Records has released a new Dusty Springfield compilation album as part of their Ultimate Collection series.

The good news about this latest single-disc U.S. compilation (released December 4) is that it does make (somewhat of) an effort to include material from Dusty's entire career--not just from her '60s heyday. Accordingly, it is a far more satisfying experience than either of the compilations recently offered by Mercury Records--The Very Best of Dusty Springfield (1998) and Dusty Springfield: 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection (1999).

The bad news is that someone messed up big time at Hip-O by including the wrong version of the song "A Love Like Yours." In the track-by-track liner notes (expertly written as usual by Paul Howes of The Dusty Springfield Bulletin) it is noted that track 18, "A Love Like Yours," comes from Dusty's 1978 album It Begins Again. Yet the version on the actual disc is the one Dusty recorded in 1974 for her ultimately aborted album Longing. This particular version is greatly inferior to Dusty's later re-recording of the song.

Commenting on the inclusion of the 1974 version of "A Love Like Yours" on Hip-O's February 2001 Beautiful Soul compilation, Simon Bell, Dusty's friend and colleague, observes that "most of the tracks from [Longing included on Beautiful Soul] amply testify to Dusty's greatness - the notable exception being the Motown classic "A Love Like Yours," which anyone [who] care[d] for Dusty's memory would have erased. She didn't want you to hear this; and her wishes should have been respected." We can only hope that future editions of The Ultimate Collection recify this embarrassing mix-up.

The track list for Dusty Springfield: The Ultimate Collection is as follows: