Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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BLACK, Cilla

(b Priscilla Marie Veronica White, 27 May 1943, Liverpool; d 1 August 2015, Estepona, Spain) The hatcheck girl at the Cavern was swept to fame as the only girl singer to emerge from Liverpool during Beatlemania. Signed by Brian Epstein, then to the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin, her first single was the Lennon/McCartney tune 'Love Of The Loved' and made no. 35 on the UK chart; 'Anyone Who Had A Heart' was no. 1 February '64 (Dionne Warwick had the U.S. hit); 'You're My World' also no. 1 (her only U.S. hit at no. 26). With a strong rather than subtle voice, her '60s UK hits included 'Alfie', 'Love's Just A Broken Heart', 'Surround Yourself With Sorrow'. McCartney's 'Step Inside Love' was the theme for her '68 BBC TV series. Her girl-next-door image stretched her career well into '80s, though last chart hit was 'Baby We Can't Go Wrong' '74. She hosted TV game shows, a big success with soft-porn innuendo on Blind Date in the '90s. She was happily married to her manager until he died of lung cancer; they had three sons. She never put on any airs and remained friends with Beatles, Cliff Richard and other stars of her generation all her life.