Jo Stafford (1917-2008)

One of the greats has passed. She was huge during the WWII era, and her career continued through at least the '70s. She did a great parody record towards the end of her career where she sang "Staying Alive" (of all things) in an intentionally off-key, terrible style. But, she is probably best remembered for her terrific rendition of "You Belong to Me." Her version of "Dream" when she was with the Pied Pipers must be heard.

Sad news for me.

Singer and radio star Jo Stafford dies at 90 - Yahoo! News

Re: Jo Stafford (1917-2008)

Re: Jo Stafford (1917-2008)

She was a nice singer and I wasn't aware she was still alive but now I am sorry to hear she has passed. I just read her mini-biography at IMDb.com and thought this little part was interesting:

"Her career continued unabated, with a string of hit records such as "Shrimp Boats", "Jambalaya" and "Make Love to Me", and in 1961 Capitol Records hired her back with a six-album deal and another TV show (she also had a television show in Great Britain, where she was wildly popular). Her career wasn't all serious, though. One day during a recording session with some time left over, she and her husband, as a gag, recorded some songs as a truly awful third-rate lounge act called Jonathan and Darlene Edwards--"Jonathan" played piano, badly, and "Darlene" sang terrible songs off-key, and neither character had a clue as to how supremely untalented they were. The songs gained a following--with no one knowing that Jonathan and Darlene were actually Jo and her husband--and in 1960 they released a Jonathan and Darlene album called "Jonathan and Darlene Edwards in Paris", which promptly won a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album--ironically, the only Grammy Jo would earn in her long and successful career."

Apparently her "Staying Alive" parody wasn't a first.

Chris

Re: Jo Stafford (1917-2008)

About six months ago, I bought an album of her "for old time's sake", because we had several vinyl albums (and singles) of her in my parent's home.
Frankly, I still like most of her songs and at least they're "familiar".

Favourites in our home (especially favourites of my mother's) that I remember by heart were Ay-Round the Corner, Thank You for Calling, The Tennessee Waltz, Shrimp Boats, Jambalaya, I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time, Whispering Hope and Allentown Jail. Oh, many more now I start thinking of it (I need to play that record finally).

For some reason, in my mind I always link her to Rosemary Clooney (George's aunt). Don't know why, exactly.

May she Rest In Peace.


Cees

Re: Jo Stafford (1917-2008)

Since she retired thirty years ago, there is at least the sense that she said what she wanted to say musically, and we aren't going to be denied future recordings like with an artist who dies unexpectedly. The fact that she was suffering since last year makes her passing a blessing, if it's not callous to say something like that. It's not intended in that way. In any case, it's hard to lose someone so connected to a bygone era. It seems to be happening a lot this year.

Re: Jo Stafford (1917-2008)

Sorry to hear of her passing. She was a great singer, noted for her perfect pitch and immaculate phrasing. She gained control of her Columbia recording masters after a royalty dispute and her son runs a company that's reissued most of her records. Her Christmas recordings are wonderful.

Re: Jo Stafford (1917-2008)

I do too. Similar career and music style. Both were very good singers and mostly unknown to today's youth although Ms. Clooney was younger and her career endured longer.

Chris

Re: Jo Stafford (1917-2008)

And that's the saddest of all, in a way.

BTW, today's youth may know Rosemary Clooney's (mutilated) voice through a popular recent number called "Sway" ("When the...., when the...., when the...., when the...., when the....").


Cees