Dame Shirley Bassey to release first single in 10 years

02-Feb-2007 • Bond News

A little-known band have revealed exactly how they persuaded Dame Shirley Bassey to record her first single in 10 years - reports icWales.

The Tiger Bay diva - who celebrated her 70th birthday on Monday - releases her new single The Living Tree next month.

But the tune may never have made it into the shops had the great Dame not been convinced she had a potential hit on her hands.

The single has been written by Never The Bride, made up of Bristol-born lead singer Nikki Lamborn and Scot Catherine Feeney.

The duo have already recorded their version of the song, but convinced Dame Shirley it was right for her during a recent trip to Monte Carlo, where the legendary singer now lives.

A spokesman for the band revealed: "The girls have always been told that their song would be ideal for Shirley. So when they checked out of a hotel in Monte Carlo last summer, they remembered how Dame Shirley spends four days a week at the hotel gym.

"Before hopping in their cab, they left a copy of the song with the hotel concierge with a note telling Shirley how great it would be if she was to record the song.

"The girls didn't hear anything for weeks. But as they opened their e-mails one morning they found one from 'The Bassey Office'.

"It told how Shirley had fallen head over heals in love with the song, playing it in her room continuously and was demanding to know who were the writers and who owned the rights to the song.

"A month later, Catherine and Nikki met the Dame herself at a swanky London hotel. Their meeting, which was meant to last 20 minutes, ended up lasting two hours.

"Dame Shirley agreed to record the song. She later debuted it on Another Audience with Dame Shirley Bassey on ITV1. She also performed it at last year's Royal Variety Performance."

Nikki added: "I was there when Dame Shirley performed the song for her ITV1 show.

"Her hits Goldfinger and Big Spender were met with applause but the best reception was for The Living Tree. X Factor judge Louis Walsh commented on how good it was at the after show party. We can't wait for it to be released next month!"