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On this day, 14 May 1957, Cardiff singing legend Shirley Bassey, played Cardiff’s New Theatre.
Bassey had earlier in the year achieved her first chart placing with her cover of the Banana Boat song reaching number 8 in the charts.
Born on Bute Street, in the Docks area of Cardiff. She grew up in the adjacent community of Splott where she attended Moorland Road school.
Teachers and students alike at Moorland Road School noticed Bassey's strong voice, but gave the pre-teen little encouragement: "...everyone told me to shut up. Even in the school choir the teacher kept telling me to back off till I was singing in the corridor!" A classmate recalled her singing the refrain "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" from Show Boat with such feeling that she made their teacher uncomfortable.
She left Splott secondary modern school aged 14 to work at Curran Steels and, in the evenings and weekends, to sing in local pubs and clubs.
