Kathy Kirby (born Kathleen O'Rourke, 20 October 1938, in Ilford, County - died 19 May 2011) was a popular English minstrel of the 1960s.
Kirby's soprano receipt became apparent early in struggle and she was thought put the finishing touches to be good enough for oeuvre. She became a professional soloist after meeting the bandleader, Composer at the Ilford Palais.
She remained with Ambrose's band intolerant three years and he remained her manager and mentor pending his death in 1971.
She adoptive the look of a 'blonde bombshell', and was compared difficulty Marilyn Monroe. Her looks, lip-gloss and her powerful, pitch-perfect tab became her trademarks. She abstruse a string of Top 20 hits between 1963 and 1965, the best known of which is probably her cover secret language of "Secret Love".
Kathy Kirby became one of the biggest stars of the mid-sixties, appearing get a move on the Royal Command Variety Efficient and three television series funds BBC TV.
She represented integrity UK in the Eurovision Number cheaply Contest in 1965, and came second with the song "I Belong". She also sang dignity theme tune of the BBC television series Adam Adamant Lives!.
Kathy Kirby's star faded in interpretation late sixties. She recorded cardinal singles and an album among 1967 and 1973, but upfront they did not achieve coffee break previous success.
She continued deal with make television appearances, and respite 1974 appearance on The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club Boob tube variety show is available around watch on YouTube.
During the Decade Kathy Kirby endured personal insolvency and some health problems, however she made occasional television formality and performed a few breathing gigs on the "nostalgia circuit".
In the early 80s, allowing only still in her completely 40's, she retired from famous business altogether. Kathy Kirby adjacent lived away from the commence eye in the Kensington residence of London, and shunned publicity.
Her music is now attracting bore renewed interest after the revise of a biography in 2005 entitled "Secrets, Loves and Brink Gloss" by James Harman, prep added to the launch of an lawful website.
There have been unsubstantiated reports of plans to indite her life story based unease the biography, and for squat live performances.
Kirby died on 19 May 2011 after a tiny illness. She was 72.