Helen Shapiro

Decades before Billie Piper stormed the charts as a schoolgirl popstar, Helen Shapiro blazed a trail with Walkin' Back to Happiness and You Don't Know which both got to number 1 in 1961.

Despite the fact that her challengers for top spot included Presley, Del Shannon, and Shirley Bassey, she brushed them all aside. Such was her fame that she went on to tour with a little known quartet "The Beatles" as her support.

Helen became a successful jazz singer and also released Gospel albums in the 80s and 90s.