- Terminally ill at Royal Marsden Hospital in west London, with an aggressive type of breast cancer, was unable to attend a formal ceremony at Buckingham Palace to collect her awarded Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), given for her "services to popular music". By a rare exception, the award was presented to the singer at the hospital at an intimate gathering. She died on the day that she would otherwise have collected her award from the Palace. (1999)
- Part of her ashes were buried at Henley, the rest were scattered by her brother, Tom Springfield at the Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, Ireland.
- Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. (1999)
- Of Irish ancestry, and attended all-girls Catholic schools.
- Was the very first artist to record The Carpenters' 1970 hit "(They Long to Be) Close to You", recording the track back in 1964 and intending it to be a follow-up to her #3 UK hit "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself". However, it was held back from release, but eventually issued on her 1967 album "Where Am I Going?", with the beginning intro edited out of the final cut. One year later, Dionne Warwick tried her hand at covering the song, but her version proved unsuccessful. The original mix of Dusty's version has only recently been released, on the UK 2-CD compilation "Classics & Collectibles".
- Her alcoholism and drug addiction affected her musical career in the 1970s and early 1980s.
- Refused to perform concerts in South Africa before segregated audiences, as required by that country's apartheid system, and in fact was deported from South Africa shortly after she arrived to the country for performing before an integrated audience. (1964)
- Ranked #24 on VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock N Roll. (1999)
- (Summer 1962) [As the Springfields], debuted on the US Pop charts with their recording of "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" (#20 US Pop).
- Upon visiting New York City, heard the Exciters' recording of "Tell Him" playing in a record store. She was so impressed with the sound and recording style that it influenced her to begin a solo career with a Pop/Soul direction. (1962)
- Vanessa Carlton portrayed her in an episode of American Dreams (2002).
- Credited with getting Led Zeppelin signed to Atlantic Records. Ironically, she never heard them play, but her former bass player John Paul Jones was in Zeppelin and it was because of her say so that the band was signed to the label.
- The name "Dusty" was given to her when she was a child, as she had been a tomboy in her early years.
- Longtime companion of Susan Cameron from 1972 to 1978 and longtime friend until her death in 1999.
- Her song "Don't Forget About Me" from her famous 1969 album "Dusty in Memphis" was actually recorded two years previously, on August 8, 1967, and was eliminated from the final cut of her 1967 album "Where Am I Going?". The sound of the original version is far from the Memphis sound, due to it being cut at Philips Studios in England. It boasts a very contemporary sound (much like a Burt Bacharach tune) and could very well been issued as a single.
- "Where Am I Going?" is her most sought-after album, selling at anywhere from $60-$100 and up. It's also her only discontinued set on CD.
- (November 14, 2006) inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame for her outstanding contribution to British music and integral part of British music culture.
- An avid animal lover, regularly volunteered at local animal shelters. At one point, had 5 cats.
- Parents were Gerard Anthony and Catherine Anne O'Brien.
- Two takes were recorded of her #3 1964 UK hit, "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself": one being vocal (dynamic, well orchestrated and long) while the other proved to be of lesser stereo quality and was not received well critically, despite its high charting success. Legend has it that she was dissatisfied with the original powerful take of her now-infamous hit, and prompted producers to release the more bland version, due to her constant critiquing of her voice convincing herself the other was far too horrible to be issued. However, back in the late 1990s, the original and longer take of the song was released on the CD compilation ''The Burt Bacharach Songbook". It has since appeared once more on the recently-released 2-CD UK compilation "Classics & Collectibles".
- Had tremendous trouble charting hits in the United States, so when Nancy Sinatra passed up a chance to record one of Lee Hazlewood's compositions, she "inherited" the song, and took the chance with open arms. However, despite the song not charting, it is still regarded as a now-hidden-treasure among the singer's music catalog. The song was a theme to one of the most popular 1960s "youth" films, The Sweet Ride (1968), and was recorded in mid-to-late December 1967, then rerecorded on June 1, 1968, for single release. The song was "Sweet Ride". (1967)
- Not related to Rick Springfield.
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