(1943 – 2015)
Born as Priscilla White in Liverpool, Cilla Black was a singer, actress and television presenter.
Determined to become an entertainer, Black gained a part-time job as a cloakroom attendant at Liverpool’s Cavern Club, best known for its connection with The Beatles. Her impromptu performances impressed The Beatles and John Lennon suggested a try-out with their manager Brian Epstein. The audition did not go well, but, seeing her perform later, Epstein recognised her talent and she was signed to his management as his only female vocalist.
Her career in music spanned 19 UK ‘Top 40’ singles (including two number one hits), and 15 studio albums. Before his death, Epstein had already paved the way for a TV career for Cilla. She then ran her own variety series, ‘Cilla’ until 1976. In the 1980’s Cilla went on to host other TV entertainment series such as ‘Blind Date’ and ‘Surprise Surprise’ over the next 20 years, amassing more than 500 television shows of her own in her lifetime.
So how did Priscilla White become Cilla Black? The story goes that the music paper ‘Mersey Beat’ misprinted her surname as Black. And there you have it.
The statue features images from the singer’s life and lyrics in the fabric of her dress.
Commissioned by Cilla’s sons, the sculptor Emma Rodgers describes a beautiful moment:
When they were looking around Liverpool for a suitable site, there was an alarm going off in Mathew Street. When Ben stood in the spot by the old Cavern entrance the alarm stopped, and they took that as a sign of approval.
So that’s why Cilla is where she is: exactly where she should be.
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