Remembering Jo Stafford

I read yesterday of the passing of Jo Stafford, one of the great talents of American song. Stafford is best remembered for the songs she recorded in the WWII years, when she earned the nickname "G.I. Jo" for her recordings on V-disks which were distributed among the armed forces serving in that war.

A woman with a unique sense of humor, she won a Grammy for a comedy record in 1961 - a set of songs performed with her husband and arranger, Paul Weston. The couple performed songs in which Jo sang a half-tone sharp and Weston played the wrong chords - butchering familiar tunes with a style only the truly talented could possibly pull off.

I may have one more post on Ms Stafford today. Meanwhile, you might like to read her obit, from yesterday's NY Times.