Stafford, Jo Elizabeth

▪ 2009

      American singer

born Nov. 12, 1917, Coalinga, Calif.

died July 16, 2008, Century City, Calif.

possessed a strong, unwavering voice and flawless intonation, and during the 1940s and '50s she became a sensation, hosting and performing on the radio show The Chesterfield Supper Club and the television program The Jo Stafford Show (1954); she also recorded a succession of charted singles that included the number one hit “You Belong to Me” (1952), which sold two million copies. After singing lead for the Stafford Sisters, a trio formed with her siblings, she served as lead vocalist (1938–44) for the Pied Pipers, who began working in 1939 with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and provided backup vocals for Frank Sinatra, notably for the hit single “I'll Never Smile Again” (1940). During her peak solo years (1944–55), Stafford sold some 25 million records and was a favourite among U.S. servicemen, who affectionately dubbed her “G.I. Jo” because of her tireless work with the USO. Stafford was presented (1960) with a Grammy Award for the best comedy performance for the album Jonathan and Darlene Edwards in Paris, which she released with her husband, pianist and composer Paul Weston.

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