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Mary Isabel Catherine Bernadette O’Brien OBE (16 April 1939 – 2 March 1999), known as Dusty Springfield, was a pop singer and entertainer. Of all the female British pop artists of the 1960s, she made one of the biggest impressions on the U.S. market. Owing to her distinctive sensual sound, she was one of the most notable white soul artists.

Born to an Irish Roman Catholic family that loved music, Mary O’Brien learned to sing at home. Dusty Springfield began her solo career in 1963 with the upbeat pop hit, “I Only Want To Be With You”. Her following hits included “I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself”, “Wishin’ and Hopin’”, and “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” .

A fan of American pop music, she campaigned to bring the little-known soul singers to a wider U.K. audience by devising and hosting the first British performances of the top-selling Motown Records artists in 1965. Her rendition of “The Look of Love”, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, was featured in the film Casino Royale and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song in 1967.

The sudden changes of pop music in the mid-1960s left girl singers out of fashion. To boost her credibility as a soul artist, Dusty Springfield went to Memphis, Tennessee to record an album of pop and soul music with the Atlantic Records’ main production team. The LP Dusty in Memphis earned Springfield a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1970 and received the Grammy Hall of Fame award in 2001. International readers and viewers polls list the record among the one hundred greatest albums of all time.The LP’s standout track “Son of a Preacher Man” was an international Top 10 hit in 1969. After that album, Springfield’s musical success dipped for many years. In 1987, collaborations with the Pet Shop Boys returned her to the Top 20 of the U.K. and U.S. charts with the singles “What Have I Done to Deserve This?”, “Nothing Has Been Proved”, and “In Private”. In 1995, Dusty Springfield was diagnosed with breast cancer.

You’ve probably heard it before – the calming, tranquil sounds of New Age piano coming from a gift shop or stereo.

There’s something about music, especially New Age music that slows the heart rate down. Listening to this kind of music has many therapeutic effects, but did you know that you could also reduce stress by learning how to play in this style? It’s true! And the good news is you don’t need years of lessons to begin.

All that is required is knowledge of a few chords and that’s it! I’ve had students tell me that nothing relaxes them more than just sitting at the piano and playing what they feel. They aren’t concerned with being perfect or “playing it right.” They just want to relax, unwind, and forget about their busy day.

The relaxation and sense of well being that comes from playing the piano in the New Age style is profound. Breathing slows down. Focus is sharpened and heightened as well.

Music is a soothing balm and can be very therapeutic and even more so when you actually create it yourself! Reduce stress and feel a sense of peace while you learn how to play chords and make music. It can be done. And it’s very easy to begin.

For instance, in the lesson “Reflections in Water,” (available below) you learn how to create a calm, reflective atmosphere using a few chords and the C Major scale. This is something a complete beginner can do and it won’t take years, months or weeks. You can improvise and create your own music within hours!

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/piano_lessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!