Editing Shirley Bassey (section)

===1950s===
In 1953, Bassey signed her first professional contract, touring with the variety show ''Memories of Jolson'', a musical based on the life of [[Al Jolson]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Mears |first=Tyler |date=7 January 2017 |title=17 times Dame Shirley Bassey proved she's truly world class |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/17-times-dame-shirley-bassey-12413828 |access-date=12 February 2022 |website=[[WalesOnline]] |language=en}}</ref> On 17 December 1953, Bassey signed a contract with Columbia Productions for two performances at the salary of £10.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://shirleybassey.wordpress.com/2016/08/19/shirley-basseys-25th-anniversary-1978/ |title=Shirley's 25th Anniversary |website=The Bassey Blog |date=7 June 2009 |access-date=23 November 2017}}</ref> Her next professional engagement was in the touring show ''Hot from Harlem'', in which she and other mixed-race Cardiff performers played [[African Americans|Black Americans]] in 1954.<ref name=":2">{{cite web| title=Shirley Bassey: from single mum to superstar| url=https://www.radiotimes.com/audio/shirley-bassey-from-single-mum-to-superstar/| access-date=12 February 2022| website=Radio Times| language=en}}</ref> A review of the show in March 1954 included: "Shirley Bassey, an attractive young singer, is an asset to the show."<ref>{{cite journal |title=Round the Halls |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001179/19540304/019/0005 |journal=[[The Stage]] |date=4 March 1954 |page=5 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Later that year, Bassey gave birth to her daughter Sharon, while staying with her sister Ella in London.<ref name=":2" />

While performing in Jersey, Bassey met her first manager, Mike Sullivan.<ref name=":2" /> In 1955, Bassey toured various theatres until she was noticed by the impresario [[Jack Hylton]] at the Astor Club in September 1955.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Bright Lights |first=Dick |last=Richards |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001860/19550907/024/0024 |journal=[[The Sketch]] |date=7 September 1955 |page=207}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| date=30 December 1961| title=Biographies| url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/60s/1961/CB-1961-12-30.pdf| journal=Cash Box| page=12}}</ref> He invited her to feature in [[Al Read]]'s ''Such Is Life'', which opened on 14 December 1955<ref>{{cite journal |title=Adelphi's Xmas Plans |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001179/19551124/015/0001 |journal=The Stage |date=24 November 1955 |page=1 |access-date=20 May 2022}}</ref> at the [[Adelphi Theatre]] in London's [[West End theatre|West End]]. In the show, which ran until 3 November 1956,<ref>{{cite news |title=Entertainments Guide |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102238917/daily-herald/ |newspaper=Daily Herald |location=London |date=2 November 1956 |page=8 |access-date=20 May 2022 |quote=...Shirley Bassey. Lst 2 dys.}}</ref> she featured the song "[[Burn My Candle]]", leading one reviewer to say that she had nearly stopped the show with the song "which brought outraged mutters, then roars of shamefaced applause."<ref>{{cite journal |title=All this —but not enough of Al |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102239259/daily-herald/ |newspaper=Daily Herald |location=London |date=15 December 1955 |page=3 |access-date=20 May 2022}}</ref> During the show's run, [[Philips Records|Philips]] record producer [[Johnny Franz]] spotted her on television, was impressed, and offered her a recording deal. Bassey recorded her first single, "Burn My Candle", the song she had featured in ''Such is Life'', and this was released in February 1956. The cabaret-style song was banned by the [[BBC World Service|BBC]] because the lyrics were considered too suggestive.<ref>{{cite book |last=Stratton |first=Jon |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Py8rDwAAQBAJ&dq=burn+my+candle+shirley+bassey+1956&pg=PA169 |title=Jews, Race and Popular Music |date=5 July 2017 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-351-56170-9 |page=61 |language=en}}</ref> More singles followed, and in February 1957, Bassey had her first [[hit record|hit]] with "[[The Banana Boat Song]]", which reached No. 8 in the UK Singles Chart.<ref name="officialcharts">{{cite web |title=Shirley Bassey |website=Official Charts Company |access-date=10 April 2016 |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/4336/shirley-bassey/}}</ref>

Following a successful run at the [[Café de Paris, London]], Bassey made her American stage début in [[Las Vegas]] at [[El Rancho Vegas]] in February 1957.<ref>Williams, ''Miss Shirley Bassey'', 154.</ref> Following on from Las Vegas, Bassey opened at [[Ciro's]] on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood on 15 February 1957.<ref>{{cite news |title=Confidential File |first=Paul V. |last=Coates |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102191893/los-angeles-mirror/ |newspaper=The Mirror-News |location=Los Angeles |date=21 February 1957 |page=10}}</ref> She also recorded under the direction of American producer [[Mitch Miller]] in New York City for the [[Columbia Records]] label (which at the time had a distribution deal with Philips), producing the single "If I Had a Needle and Thread" [[A-side and B-side|b/w]] "Tonight My Heart She Is Crying". On her return to the UK in April 1957, she starred in "[[Tonight at the London Palladium|Sunday Night at the London Palladium]]" for the first time on 28 April 1957.<ref>{{cite news |title=Week-end Broadcasting Programmes |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102192043/the-daily-telegraph/ |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph and Morning Post |date=27 April 1957 |page=4 |access-date=19 May 2022}}</ref>

In mid-1958, Bassey recorded two singles that would become classics in the Bassey catalogue. "As I Love You" was released as the [[A-side and B-side|B-side]] of another ballad, "Hands Across the Sea"; it did not sell well at first but, after another appearance at the [[London Palladium]] on 30 November,<ref>{{cite news |title=Tomorrow's Programmes |newspaper=[[Coventry Telegraph|Coventry Evening Telegraph]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102192173/coventry-evening-telegraph/ |date=29 November 1958 |page=2 |access-date=19 May 2022}}</ref> sales began to pick up. In January 1959, "As I Love You" reached [[List of number-one singles from the 1950s (UK)|number-one]] and stayed there for four weeks; it was the first number-one single by a Welsh artist.<ref name="Bbc.co.uk"/> While "As I Love You" climbed the charts, so did Bassey's recording of "[[Kiss Me, Honey Honey, Kiss Me]]" and both records would end up occupying the top 3 at the same time. Having been with [[Decca Records]] for four years, Bassey then signed to [[EMI]]'s [[Columbia Graphophone Company|Columbia]] label on 20 April 1959.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=25 April 1959 |title=Shirley Bassey signs with Columbia |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Melody-Maker/50s/Melody-Maker-1959-04-25-OCR.pdf |access-date=29 May 2024 |magazine=[[Melody Maker]] |page=10}}</ref> Her first album for Columbia, ''[[The Fabulous Shirley Bassey]]'', was later released and reached. No. 12 on the [[UK Albums Chart]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Martland |first=Peter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yD8UAQAAIAAJ&q=shirley+bassey+columbia+records+1959 |title=Since Records Began: EMI, the First 100 Years |publisher=Batsford |year=1997 |isbn=978-0-7134-6207-4 |page=229 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Official Albums Chart Top 20 {{!}} 29 January 1961 - 4 February 1961 |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/19610129/7502/|access-date=14 February 2022 |website=Official Charts Company |language=en}}</ref>