Dusty Springfield in Weymouth intriguing insight of readers

It's hard to believe that the same woman who was hailed as 'Britain's best ever pop singer' by Rolling Stone magazine started her musical career in Dorset.

Back in the early 1960s she was performing in The Springfields in Weymouth, which was a folk act with her brother Tom and Tim Feild.

Dusty appears in this star-studded photo which was taken at Weymouth Pavilion and also includes singer Matt Monro. 

The starry line-up including Dusty Springfield at Weymouth Pavilion in 1962 She was staying in Franchise Street and is remembered for driving around on her scooter, enjoying the Weymouth night life and even taking her driving test in Dorchester!

The late Peter Price, a Weymouth entertainer and mobile hairdresser, was a bandleader and the head of entertainment at Littlesea Holiday Camp and knew these stars at the time they were performing in Weymouth.

Peter Price, playing the trumpet, performing at the Sidney Hall, Weymouth, in 1959 (Image: Supplied) Speaking to the Echo back in 2011, he said: “I never performed with them, but they were good friends. People thought we partied all the time, but the fact was we didn’t finish work until 11pm and it was then that we would get together.

READ: Closeted superstar who lived in Weymouth was 'a lovely person'

“Dusty rented a house in Franchise Street in Weymouth. It was only a small place, a cottage really, and we would all squeeze in there. It was great fun and we had some great times.”

Sixties pop star Dusty Springfield sings her first single to be released in Britain since 1979, at the Hippodrome in London. Dusty was one of many stars who performed in Weymouth and then went on to much greater success.

“Entertainers came here and then went to the top of the tree,” said Peter. 

"After Dusty came to Weymouth she became a household name. She was good fun but could be temperamental and would stomp around and lay down the law when she was in rehearsals. But she was a good friend and we had good times.”

READ: Dusty Springfield's time in Weymouth

Peter has many happy memories of his time as a bandleader and says that evenings out were much more civilised back then

“We never had any trouble when we were out in the evenings,” he said. “There was never any serious trouble and people went out and had a good time.

“We played in village halls all over Dorset and at the Moonfleet Hotel where you could pay 12 and 6 for a dinner and dance or 7 and 6 for chicken and chips in a basket and a dance.

“We had a good following there in the 1950s and 60s and people had a good time.”

Peter was the leader of an eight-piece band with sax and rhythm sections and they really enjoyed playing in the more rural areas.

“We would go out to village halls all over Dorset and because there was no other entertainment on the place would be packed. People used to have a bar there and people would be drinking, but there was never any trouble. I think people had more respect then.”

READ: Dusty Springfield's links to Weymouth

Other memories of The Son of a Preacher Man singer in Weymouth include her buying music from the record department of WH Smith and making shop worker John Trevett blush; performing at at Alexandra Gardens and attending a Weymouth house party.

The appreciation for her still lives on, more than 25 years after her death.

"She was the finest female singer this country’s produced," Malcolm Weston says. 

And the last word should go to Keith English, who has this electrifying memory of the legendary singer in Weymouth.

He said: "Mike Bell and myself snuck in a side door and found ourselves in the wings on the side of the stage and watched Dusty singing her heart out for a few minutes before we decided to scarper so we didn’t get caught."