British singer Kathy Kirby died on Thursday, May 19 2011 after a short illness. Kirby, born on October 20, 1938, real name Kathleen O’Rourke, finished second in the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest with “I Belong” in Naples, Italy.
Kathy Kirby’s phenomenal soprano voice was known from the start and it was predicted that she would pursue a career in opera. He met bandleader Ambrose and began playing in his band for 3 years, Ambrose being his manager until his death in 1971.
She adopted the image of a blonde woman, like Marilyn Monroe. Her appearance, lip gloss and strong voice became her trademark. Between 1963 and 1965 he had several Top 20 hits in the UK. His most famous hit is “Secret Love”.
He appeared in two television series and also sang the series’ theme songs. His star faded in the late 1960s. Although he recorded 12 more singles and an album between 1967 and 1973, none were hits.
The death of his manager, Ambrose, was a big shock to him. In 1977 he made himself heard again when it emerged that he was bankrupt. He said goodbye to show business and occasionally returned. In 2005, she launched an official website and biography entitled “Secrets, Love, and Lipgloss”.
Kathy Kirby is 72 years old.
(20/05/2011)
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