Anne Bushnell facts for kids

Anne Bushnell (28 March 1939 – 21 April 2011) was an Irish jazz and blues singer and cabaret performer. She was known for her powerful voice and exciting stage shows.

Anne Bushnell's Early Life

Anne Bushnell was born Anne Kavanagh in Dublin, Ireland, on March 28, 1939. She was one of four children. Her father, John Kavanagh, owned a car repair business. The family lived in Milltown.

From a young age, Anne loved to perform. She danced on the stage of the Theatre Royal as a child. She was even a junior Irish champion dancer!

Anne went to the St Louis convent school in Rathmines. There, she acted in plays and musicals. She also sang in the school choir. However, the nuns at her school did not like her interest in jazz music. They tried to stop her from listening to "the music of the night."

When she was 16, Anne left school. She started working as a typist to help her family. In April 1961, she married Tony Bushnell. He was a salesman who also loved music. They moved to Templeogue and had two children: a daughter named Suzanne and a son named Paul. Paul is now a musician in Los Angeles. Suzanne sings in a group called Fallen Angels.

Anne Bushnell's Music Career

Anne Bushnell kept performing in amateur musicals. In the early 1960s, she sang with an Irish céilí band. With help from her husband's musical family, she began singing in Dublin jazz clubs in 1967. She quickly became a respected jazz and blues singer. She also performed in cabaret shows.

In 1968, Anne competed in the national song contest. She sang a song called Ballad to a Boy. After this, she became a regular singer with the RTÉ Light Orchestra. By the late 1960s, Anne was one of the busiest singers in Ireland. She sang jingles for radio and TV ads. She also sang backup for many showband records. From 1970, she was a regular guest on RTÉ television variety shows. She even hosted a show called Girls, girls, girls.

Family Pride Band

From 1972 to 1974, Anne was part of a group called Family Pride. This group was made up of talented musicians who often recorded together. They competed in the 1973 national song contest. They also played in Dublin venues and on radio shows. The group had two songs that reached the top ten in Ireland. Their album, Family Pride, released in 1973, was not as successful.

Solo Artist and Musicals

Anne also represented Ireland as a solo artist. She performed at many international contests and festivals. She released a few singles and an album called Are you ready (1977) with CBS Records. She also sang backup for Ireland's entries in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 and 1980.

From the mid to late 1970s, Anne regularly appeared in stage musicals. These included tribute shows to famous artists like Jacques Brel (1974) and Bing Crosby (1978). Sometimes, she performed alongside her brother, John Kavanagh, who was an actor. From the late 1970s, she also appeared in pantomimes with Maureen Potter.

Piaf and Garland Tributes

In 1984, Anne Bushnell starred in a musical about the life of Édith Piaf. The show was called No regrets and was written just for Anne. People praised her for capturing Piaf's stage presence and unique husky voice.

Later, Anne changed the show into a successful one-woman performance called The Little Sparrow. She also created a one-woman tribute show to Judy Garland. Her cabaret act in the late 1980s was very popular. It featured big songs by Brel, Garland, and Piaf. Because of her amazing talent at singing blues and jazz, the mayor of New Orleans gave her the freedom of the city in 1986.

Anne Bushnell's Later Years

In her later life, Anne Bushnell faced some challenges. She found comfort in painting and started in 1992. She held several art exhibitions in Dublin.

Anne continued to sing regularly until her death. She often performed at events to raise money for charity. In 1994, she received the Cheshire Foundation award for her charity work. Anne also appeared in the film Agnes Browne.

Anne Bushnell passed away on April 21, 2011, in Tallaght Hospital, County Dublin. She was cremated at Mount Jerome Crematorium.