Role

:

Performer

Country

:

United Kingdom

Birth

:

March 20, 1917 in London, England

Death

:

June 18, 2020 in Sussex, England

 

Dame Vera Lynn was a British singer, songwriter, and actress who was born on March 20, 1917, in East Ham, London. She was the daughter of Bertram Welch, a plumber, and Annie Welch, a dressmaker. Vera Lynn was the youngest of their children, and she grew up in a working-class family. Vera Lynn's love for music began at an early age, and she started singing in public when she was just seven years old. She won a talent competition at the age of 11, and this led to her first professional engagement as a singer. She left school at the age of 14 to pursue a career in music. In 1935, Vera Lynn signed a recording contract with the Decca label, and she released her first solo record, "Up the Wooden Hill to Bedfordshire," in 1936. She quickly became a popular singer, and her recordings sold well. She also appeared on radio and in films, and she became known as the "Forces' Sweetheart" during World War II. During the war, Vera Lynn's music became a symbol of hope and comfort for British soldiers and civilians. She performed for troops in Egypt, India, and Burma, and she also toured the United States, where she became the first British artist to have a number one hit on the American charts with "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart." One of Vera Lynn's most famous songs is "We'll Meet Again," which she recorded in 1939. The song became an anthem for soldiers and their families during the war, and it is still remembered today as a symbol of hope and resilience. Vera Lynn also recorded other popular songs during the war, including "The White Cliffs of Dover" and "There'll Always Be an England." After the war, Vera Lynn continued to perform and record music, and she also became involved in charity work. She was awarded the OBE in 1969 and was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1975. She also received numerous other awards and honors throughout her career, including the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors Gold Badge of Merit in 1974 and the Variety Club of Great Britain's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999. Vera Lynn continued to perform and record music well into her 90s, and she remained a beloved figure in British culture until her death on June 18, 2020, at the age of 103. Her music and her legacy continue to inspire and uplift people around the world.

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