Dusty was a total icon, before such a term was really used for female artists.
She had boundless talent, but was a total slave to her consuming insecurity - when she went to Memphis to record her 'Dusty In Memphis' album, she was overwhelmed with doubts about her worthiness to be in the same studio with such a famous line-up of stellar musicians. In the end, her vocals were recorded in New York, and dubbed into the album separately.
As a lesbian, the false life inflicted on her by the prejudices of the time simply exacerbated her personal issues of insecurity and the feelings that she was not actually worthy of her massive fame and success.
Listening to 'If You Go Away' can still make me cry, she will never be equaled.
A similarly tragic and insecure Amy Winehouse came close, but there is and can only ever be, one Dusty.