Cilla Black (1943-2015) was the only important British female singer to emerge from the "Mersey Sound" explosion of the early 1960s. The archetypal girl-next-door, despite fame and fortune she never lost touch with her Northern roots, and her sudden death in August 2015 plunged a whole nation into mourning. A veritable lodestar of talent, her speciality was powerhouse Continental ballads, with which she was unrivalled. After her singing career slowed down she went on to become one of the country's most popular television personalities, and will never be replaced in the hearts of the British public.
"The Barefoot Princess From Dagenham", Sandie Shaw was one of the decade's most alluring images. She topped the British charts three times and won Eurovision.
Lulu was the wee Scottish lassie with the voice which could demolish a skyscraper. Hers was a bigger struggle than most, from Glasgow tenement block to superstardom. She was the only Brit Girl to top the US charts.
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