Kathy Kirby was one of the Golden Girls of Female 60s pop a couple of years before Sandie Shaw with her Puppet on a string!
Kathy was only the second girl ever to sing for UK at Eurovision Song Contest in 1966, in fact she was put forward to represent Britain in 1964 yet heartthrob Matt Monroe was chosen to sing " I love the little things" instead that year. The following year Kathy had proved herself with hit records plus her own successful series on BBC Television The Kathy Kirby Show. It was on her show, televised on 29th January 1965, that Kathy performed six specially commissioned compositions.
The cream of British songwriters wrote the songs. Tony Hatch (who composed many of Petula Clark's hits) Leslie Bricusse, Tom Springfield (Dusty's brother) Les Reed and Barry Mason, Chris Andrews (who wrote songs for Sandie Shaw) plus two relatively unknowns Peter Lee Stirling and Phil Peters.The Song for Europe winner was a power ballad called " I belong" that only Kathy could deliver in a style of Bassey crossed with Doris Day.The five songs were very strong for the UKs selection following Matt Monroe's 2nd placing the year before. Kathy also became 7 points away from the winning position in Naples Italy, but France Gall won for Luxembourg.
Kathy went on to have a string of Uk hits she looked very much a Star from Hollywood, however the reason her career never ventured further than Uk & Europe was revealed when Kathy told all in a Newspaper exclusive interview (read here). She has lead a Garbo-style existence for the past 20 years only recently has she came back after sadly fallen from grace. Kathy does still belong as one of Eurovision's Golden moments of 60s Glory. 
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