Who was Dusty Springfield? Google Doodle celebrates singer

Today’s Google Doodle is celebrating the fabulous-looking blonde superstar Dusty Springfield.

A Google Doodle is a special, temporary alteration of the logo on Google‘s homepages intended to commemorate holidays, events, achievements, and notable historical figures.

English singer Springfield, whose real name was Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O’Brien, was born in West Hampstead, London on April 16, 1939 and learned to sing at home.

She was given the nickname “Dusty” as a child due to her tomboy tendencies and love of playing football in the street with boys.

She joined her first professional group, The Lana Sisters, in 1958 at the age of 19. Two years later, she, her brother and Tim Feild formed a folk-pop trio called The Springfields.

Eager to make an authentic US album, the group travelled to Nashville, Tennessee, to record an album Folk Songs from The Hills.

During their brief time together, a number of the band’s songs, including Island of Dreams and Say I Won’t Be There, featured in the UK music charts.

Springfield launched her solo career in late 1963, releasing hits such as I Only Want to Be with You and I’ll Try Anything.

She was also a fixture on British television throughout the 1960s, appearing on several shows and hosting her own series on the BBC and ITV.

Springfield struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction and was hospitalised several times for self-harm. She was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

The singer passed away at the age of 59 in 1999 following a battle with breast cancer.

Shortly before her death, Queen Elizabeth II made an exception and allowed her to collect her Officer of the British Empire (OBE) earlier than scheduled due to Springfield’s illness.

The music legend was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by Elton John two weeks after her death.

She was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006.

The renowned music magazine Rolling Stone in 2008 ranked Springfield number 35 in its “100 Greatest Singers of All Time”.

Springfield has remained an icon more than two decades after her death. She is not only remembered for her music, but also her distinctive peroxide blonde hair, beehive hairdo and heavy eye make-up.