Jo Stafford (1917-2008)

One of my favorite freelance gigs involved working on liner notes for pop vocalist par excellence Jo Stafford. Her lovely, perfectly modulated singing endeared her to countless soldiers during World War II and topped the charts for many years. But she also had a very clever, ironic side, heard mainly in hillbilly and lounge act parodies performed by her alter-egos Cinderella G. Stump and Darlene Edwards, respectively.

Here's an example of Stafford's "serious" side, as she swings "The Gentleman is a Dope" in the 1950s. Consider listening with your eyes closed, just to concentrate on her vocal panache.



Source (2:45)

JO STAFFORD/VETERANS DAY

I'm going to follow Dan Radosh's lead and offer this Jo Stafford version of "Long Ago and Far Away" on the birthday of "GI Jo," whose vocals surely remain cherished by many veterans.



Source (2:57)