Probably the best British white soul singer of her, and any other generation, this collection brings together the complete surviving BBC sessions spanning The Russ Conway Show sessions in 1962 to her appearances on the Dave Lee Travis Show in 1970.

And let us not forget - Dusty was an icon who was up there with the greats of the Sixties - holding her own with the best the States had to offer, sharing the bill and more than holding her own in the company of the likes The Supremes, and Martha Reeves and The Vandellas. She even dueted with Hendix on a live version of Mocking Bird on her sixties TV show Dusty.

This collection pulls the remaining BBC tapes together for the first time, twenty-two tracks starting while she was still with the Springfields and features their first 3 singles - Dear John, Swahili Papa and Say I Won't Be There. These and the 1964 sessions that followed (for the Top Gear Show) had been considered ‘lost' until recently.

Included are 5 top 10 hits, a string of album covers and B-sides, and for Dusty completists To Love Somebody - a cover of the Bee Gees classic - a number that was originally recorded in Atlanta for inclusion on Dusty Goes To Memphis, but which was destroyed by fire. This track, and Dusty versions of Tossing And Turning, Up Tight, We're Doing Fine, Good Loving, and Higher And Higher now only exist in the BBC archives.

So this really is one for those who want their Dusty collection to be complete. As with any BBC productions, you're guaranteed immaculate sound quality and wonderful performances. It doesn't improve on the original versions, but it is a collection that fans will want to own.

****

Review by Pete Whalley