Kathy Kirby (born Kathleen O’Rourke; 20 October 1938 – 19 May 2011) was an English singer, reportedly the highest-paid female singer of her generation. She is best known for her cover version of Doris Day’s “Secret Love” and for representing the United Kingdom in the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest (with ‘I Belong’) where she finished in second place. Her physical appearance often drew comparisons with Marilyn Monroe. Her popularity peaked in the 1960s, when she was one of the best-known and most-recognised personalities in British show business.
She was encouraged to sing by her parents from an early age and began to take an interest in music and dance. By the age of seven, she was taking tap dancing lessons. She also took acting classes, and appeared in various school productions.
Kathy Kirby worked as a model and a dancer, before landing her first singing gig with bandleader Bert Ambrose in 1959. She went on to enjoy a successful career as a singer in the 1960s, appearing on television and releasing several hit records. She retired from the music industry in the 1970s, but made a brief comeback in the 1980s, appearing on television and releasing a new album.
Kirby passed away on May 19, 2015, at the age of 76.
Backing Tracks – Let Me Go Lover … Secret Love …
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