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Dusty: The Classic Biography
Dusty Springfield was a well-loved pop singer. From 1960s hits like "I Only Want To Be With You," "Son of a Preacher Man," and "You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me" to her 1980s collaboration with the Pet Shop Boys and beyond, she was a musical pioneer and the very essence of authentic white soul. A member of the US Rock and Roll and UK Music Halls of Fame, international polls have named Dusty among the best female pop artists of all time. Twenty years after her passing, she continues to fascinate and inspire. This latest edition of Lucy O’Brien’s classic biography has new photographs, a new introduction, fresh material, and more than 45 original interviews with close friends and people who worked with her, including Sir Tom Jones, Lulu, legendary arranger Ivor Raymonde, and the late, great Atlantic Records trio, Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd, and Arif Mardin, with whom she recorded her classic album Dusty In Memphis . The book fully explores her life and legacy, from a troubled Home Counties childhood to 1960s mod queen and solo star, to her struggles with addiction and mental health issues, to her status as an influential LGBT heroine and enduring pop icon.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 27, 2019
Well, this is pretty strange. In the previous Dusty biography by Penny Valentine (Dancing with Demons) on page 139 it says
It was here that she met Faye Harris, the small, smart film journalist she would live with for the next six turbulent years.
The years being 1972-78. In this second biography by Lucy O’Brien, Faye Harris does not get a single mention. It’s true that this new bio skirts around Dusty’s private life, names are not named, and the times Dusty ended up in psychiatric institutions are glossed over, but really, if a person lives with another person for six years, that person deserves a mention in a biography, I would say.
I don’t like to carp and moan about this book but really, it wasn’t great. I could tell Lucy’s great love of and fascination with Dusty but I have to admit this whole thing was repetitive in the extreme. Lucy O’Brien tells us about how difficult it was to admit to being gay in the pop biz of the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s about a billion times. She reminds us that Dusty never said she was but instead said she had a lot of gay friends and now and then said she was bisexual about a million times.
And also - this goes for all pop biographies - it does not help that your book is going to be made up in large part of interviews with many persons who have had their brains impaired by massive drug intakes. This does not make for elegant reading.
And also, the melancholic trajectory of Dusty’s life was in itself repetitive. After the catherine wheel of the 1960s, when everything was made of gold, the pattern was – make an album with tremendous difficulty, many tantrums, much heartache – which when released (finally) is ignored – do little or no promotion – retire for another few years – repeat.
My habit of reading music biographies has to stop. It’s so often the same old story – take Dan Hicks, Tiny Tim, John Fahey and Dusty Springfield – four fairly different musicians. Early scuffling days are followed by success (to one degree or another) – inspiration cascades and spouts around like it will never run out – then come the wasted years, ugh. A lot of those. Followed in due course by the grim reaper.
Before I end I must mention this. On page 209 Lucy is discussing the problems of being a lesbian in the pop biz again. She says (this is Lucy talking, not an interviewee) :
It’s a received truth in the business that male record buyers need to feel that the singer to whom they’re listening is available for seduction. If they know she is a lesbian the spell is broken.
I’m really not sure about this received truth. She is saying that male pop fans in the 50s would listen to Doris Day and think yeah, she’s a fabulous star and all that, but she’s available for seduction. Or Aretha – fancy anyone thinking she would be available for seduction. Lucy is saying that a guy would think oh yeah, that Dusty Springfield, she’s one of those lesbians, so I don’t care how great her records are, since she’s not available for seduction, I’m just not going to listen.
I would be most interested in the opinions of any male pop fan who happens to read this.
2.5 stars rounded up because I'm trying to be nice.
It was here that she met Faye Harris, the small, smart film journalist she would live with for the next six turbulent years.
The years being 1972-78. In this second biography by Lucy O’Brien, Faye Harris does not get a single mention. It’s true that this new bio skirts around Dusty’s private life, names are not named, and the times Dusty ended up in psychiatric institutions are glossed over, but really, if a person lives with another person for six years, that person deserves a mention in a biography, I would say.
I don’t like to carp and moan about this book but really, it wasn’t great. I could tell Lucy’s great love of and fascination with Dusty but I have to admit this whole thing was repetitive in the extreme. Lucy O’Brien tells us about how difficult it was to admit to being gay in the pop biz of the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s about a billion times. She reminds us that Dusty never said she was but instead said she had a lot of gay friends and now and then said she was bisexual about a million times.
And also - this goes for all pop biographies - it does not help that your book is going to be made up in large part of interviews with many persons who have had their brains impaired by massive drug intakes. This does not make for elegant reading.
And also, the melancholic trajectory of Dusty’s life was in itself repetitive. After the catherine wheel of the 1960s, when everything was made of gold, the pattern was – make an album with tremendous difficulty, many tantrums, much heartache – which when released (finally) is ignored – do little or no promotion – retire for another few years – repeat.
My habit of reading music biographies has to stop. It’s so often the same old story – take Dan Hicks, Tiny Tim, John Fahey and Dusty Springfield – four fairly different musicians. Early scuffling days are followed by success (to one degree or another) – inspiration cascades and spouts around like it will never run out – then come the wasted years, ugh. A lot of those. Followed in due course by the grim reaper.
Before I end I must mention this. On page 209 Lucy is discussing the problems of being a lesbian in the pop biz again. She says (this is Lucy talking, not an interviewee) :
It’s a received truth in the business that male record buyers need to feel that the singer to whom they’re listening is available for seduction. If they know she is a lesbian the spell is broken.
I’m really not sure about this received truth. She is saying that male pop fans in the 50s would listen to Doris Day and think yeah, she’s a fabulous star and all that, but she’s available for seduction. Or Aretha – fancy anyone thinking she would be available for seduction. Lucy is saying that a guy would think oh yeah, that Dusty Springfield, she’s one of those lesbians, so I don’t care how great her records are, since she’s not available for seduction, I’m just not going to listen.
I would be most interested in the opinions of any male pop fan who happens to read this.
2.5 stars rounded up because I'm trying to be nice.
September 30, 2024
This book was aimed at people who lived through the times of Dusty and knew all the music and artists.
I loved Dusty's greatest hits album in the Noughties and she is a favourite. Strangely a song I liked is Middle of Nowhere.
Great deal of fluidity in tone of this biography.
As I'd read more personal rather than musical biographies I found only one personal chapter in the biography..no real relationships or family history.
I loved Dusty's greatest hits album in the Noughties and she is a favourite. Strangely a song I liked is Middle of Nowhere.
Great deal of fluidity in tone of this biography.
As I'd read more personal rather than musical biographies I found only one personal chapter in the biography..no real relationships or family history.
February 11, 2024
This is an autobiography about Dusty Springfield, it was really interesting and I learned alot about her that I didn't know. It follows her music career and some of her personal life. Dusty had mental health struggles as well as trouble with the press, who were very invasive about her sexuality. I don't read too many memoirs but I thought this was a great read, I loved learning about the artist who brought out amazing songs. I think this would be a great read for any Dusty fans, anyone interesting in 60s music and anyone who is just curious about Dusty.
Thank you to Omara Books and Tandem Collective for a copy of this book.
Thank you to Omara Books and Tandem Collective for a copy of this book.
May 27, 2020
Excellent on the whole , I did read the other Biographies when Dusty died and I was glad to find this book had extra content , but agree with a earlier reviewer - that a six year romance that D had was not mentioned ,made me wonder if this writer was a close friend of Dusty"s…. and having just read Elton Johns book re some excessive escapades with him and D in Californiain the 70s - I was surprised not to read it from Lucy O'Brien's perspective .
But worth my 5 stars , a book about "my era" - I did feel her death details were very brief and the Discography at the end of the book was tedious and was used to make a much longer book .
It prompted me to cross reference a lot with You Tube to see the actual interviews that the author was describing or the newsreel from a particular incident.
I would like to read other books by this author.
But worth my 5 stars , a book about "my era" - I did feel her death details were very brief and the Discography at the end of the book was tedious and was used to make a much longer book .
It prompted me to cross reference a lot with You Tube to see the actual interviews that the author was describing or the newsreel from a particular incident.
I would like to read other books by this author.
September 16, 2025
A brilliant singer who struggled with alcoholism drug addiction, and mental illness, She tried so hard to escape the confines of her unhappy childhood. She also struggled with her sexuality, hiding in the shadows and concerned when media directed questions about her lifestyle.
Over twenty five years following her death in 1999, this updated biography explores Dusty’s turbulent life and her enduring legacy. Dusty’s music was timeless from her numerous hits from the 1960’s to her highly successful duet with the Pet Shop Boys. Dusty stood by her strong convections, she refused to perform for a segregated audience while on tour in South Africa, one of the first performers to do so and she was later deported for her actions. I still listen to and enjoy her music today.
Over twenty five years following her death in 1999, this updated biography explores Dusty’s turbulent life and her enduring legacy. Dusty’s music was timeless from her numerous hits from the 1960’s to her highly successful duet with the Pet Shop Boys. Dusty stood by her strong convections, she refused to perform for a segregated audience while on tour in South Africa, one of the first performers to do so and she was later deported for her actions. I still listen to and enjoy her music today.
January 29, 2021
An enjoyable read. A good insight into Dusty's taste in music and it doesn't skate over her problems with alcohol and drugs. My one disappointment it never deals with her sexuality, just suggesting her preference for women, but never talking about any partners.
December 21, 2019
P❤️E❤️R❤️F❤️E❤️C❤️T❤️I❤️O❤️N
March 24, 2020
Slow start and quick end! Loved the detailed history of the music industry. Interspersed reading this with You Tube cuts of her songs. Best entertainment i've had in a while.
August 21, 2023
A fair read
January 30, 2024
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my copy of Dusty. I have long been a fan of the singer and found this book informative and eminently readable.
April 15, 2025
She had the voice but not sure that she had a life extraordinary enough to fill 300 pages, hence too many dull bits.
June 29, 2025
Brilliantly researched and a moving portrait of a legend.
November 19, 2025
It would be tough to call this “compelling,” but at least it doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews