Jo Stafford - a tribute

I grew up listening to Jo Stafford. What a voice! What a woman! For many years, every time we turned the radio on -- at home or in the car -- we were likely to be pleasured by Jo Stafford's smooth, silky voice. We danced to her music at school proms and in basement rec rooms. We skated to her music at roller rinks. Jo Stafford was our kind of girl!

Rising from a relatively poor background, Jo Stafford ended up singing with some of America's great bands and greatest singers. She got her start as one of Pied Pipers who sang backup with Frank Sinatra and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra in the 1930's. In fact, the very first song the Pipers sang with Tommy Dorsey, "I'll Never Smile Again," became a number one hit!

In the 1940's, Jo Stafford had 38 songs in the Top Twenty, including "The Trolley Song" and "My Darling, My Darling. " She quickly became a favorite of American servicemen around the globe.

In the early 1950's, she married Paul Weston and put together several theme LPs. One of her biggest hits, and perhaps my favorite song of all-time, was "You Belong To Me." She also recorded hits like "Make Love To Me!," "Shrimps Boats," "Jambalaya," and "All The Things You Are."

She pretty much retired in the 1960's, at least from nightclub appearances. But she did do amazing work with Helen Reddy ("I Am Woman"), and the Bee Gees ("Staying Alive".) Her last appearance was with Frank Sinatra in 1982.

Jo Stafford died on Wednesday, July 16, at the age of 90. I've missed her for many years. Thank you, Ms. Stafford, for every song! RIP.