Jo Elizabeth Stafford was an American traditional pop music singer and occasional actress, whose career spanned five decades from the late 1930s to the early 1980s. Admired for the purity of her voice, she originally underwent classical training to become an opera singer before following a career in popular music, and by 1955 had achieved more worldwide record sales than any other female artist. Her 1952 song "You Belong to Me" topped the charts in the United States and United Kingdom, becoming the second single to top the UK Singles Chart and the first by a female artist to do so.
Paul Weston was an American pianist, arranger, composer, and conductor who worked in music and television from the 1930s to the 1970s, pioneering mood music and becoming known as "the Father of Mood Music". His compositions include popular music songs such as "I Should Care", "Day by Day", and "Shrimp Boats". He also wrote classical pieces, including "Crescent City Suite" and religious music, authoring several hymns and masses.
Jo + Jazz is a 1960 album recorded by Jo Stafford on Columbia Records. The album was also re-released in 1993 by Corinthian Records.
Songs of Scotland is a 1955 album by Jo Stafford. It was released on January 1, 1955 on the Columbia label and features Stafford backed by the Paul Weston Orchestra. The lyrics are all taken from traditional Scottish poetry, many from the work of Robert Burns, with the music written by Alton Rinker.
Happy Holiday is a 1955 Christmas album of Christmas songs and carols by Jo Stafford, accompanied by her husband Paul Weston and his orchestra. The entire family participated in the creation of this album; young Tim Weston is the small boy on the cover. Stafford is also joined by The Starlighters for vocal background, just as she was after her version of The Chesterfield Supper Club moved to Hollywood.
Big Band Sound is a 1970 compilation album of standards by Jo Stafford. The songs were recorded between 1960 and 1970 and see Stafford backed by a number of big band arrangers, notably her husband Paul Weston, as well as Billy May and Benny Carter. The album was released on the Corinthian label.
Jonathan and Darlene Edwards were a musical comedy double act developed by American conductor and arranger Paul Weston, and his wife, singer Jo Stafford. The routine was conceived in the 1950s, and involved Weston playing songs on the piano in unconventional rhythms, while Stafford sang off-key in a high pitched voice. The couple released five albums and one single as the Edwards, and their 1960 album, Jonathan and Darlene Edwards in Paris won that year's Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album.
The Jo Stafford Show is a 15-minute musical variety program which aired on CBS in prime time in the 1954–1955 television season. Jo Stafford began her solo singing career after success with the big band group known as The Pied Pipers. Arrangements for the program were handled by Stafford's husband, Paul Weston, himself a conductor and arranger at Capitol Records and Columbia Records. The series aired on Tuesday evenings at 7:45 Eastern Time after Douglas Edwards with the News and preceding the half-hour The Red Skelton Show. Singer Perry Como had a similar 15-minute program on CBS in the same time slot on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings. Paul Weston wrote a special theme song for the show.
Swingin' Down Broadway is a 1958 album by Jo Stafford and arranged by Paul Weston, released by Columbia Records. The album was re-released as Jo + Broadway by Corinthian Records in 1978.
'The Columbia Singles Collection, Vol. 1' is a compilation album of songs recorded by American singer Jo Stafford during her time at Columbia Records. This album was released by Corinthian Records, the company founded by Stafford and her husband, Paul Weston, on February 17, 2004.
International Hits is a 2001 compilation album of songs recorded by American singer Jo Stafford. It was released on January 1, 2001, by Corinthian Records, the company founded by Stafford and her husband Paul Weston.
Happy Holidays: I Love the Winter Weather is a 1999 compilation album of seasonal songs recorded by American singer Jo Stafford. It was released by Corinthian Records, the label founded by Stafford and her husband Paul Weston on October 12, 1999.
Getting Sentimental over Tommy Dorsey is a 1963 album by Jo Stafford. The album was recorded in 1963 and features 11 easy listening classic songs associated with the bandleader Tommy Dorsey. Stafford is accompanied on this album by Nelson Riddle, Billy May and Benny Carter. The album was originally released by Reprise Records, then reissued on CD in 2002 on the Collectables label. Collectables then reissued it again in 2008 as part of a three CD set along with The Best of Jo Stafford and Jo Stafford and Friends. The album was released by Valiant Records in 1963 with the title All Alone and again in the 1970s and 1980s by various record labels, under the title Look At Me Now. This album contains the version of "Whatcha Know Joe" that was featured in the 1993 movie, Dennis the Menace.
Jonathan and Darlene Edwards in Paris is a 1960 comedy album recorded by American singer Jo Stafford and her husband, pianist and bandleader Paul Weston. In character as Jonathan and Darlene Edwards, the pair put their own interpretation on popular songs including "I Love Paris" and "Paris in the Spring." The album followed a successful comedy act the couple would perform at parties during the 1950s, in which Weston would play an out of tune piano while Stafford would accompany him by singing in an off-key and high pitched voice. A joint winner of the 1961 Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album, the album garnered Stafford her only major award for her singing.
Darlene Remembers Duke, Jonathan Plays Fats is a 1982 album by Jo Stafford and Paul Weston in which they perform in character as Jonathan and Darlene Edwards. The duo put their own unique interpretation on the music of Duke Ellington and Fats Waller with Stafford singing deliberately off key, while Weston plays an out of tune piano. The album was issued by Corinthian Records (COR-117). Billboard reviewed the album when it was newly released, saying, "the sounds they achieve may well lead to another Grammy for the duo next year." Stafford and Weston, in their personas of Jonathan and Darlene Edwards, were interviewed by Los Angeles Magazine following the release of the album.
The Piano Artistry of Jonathan Edwards is a 1957 album of songs by Paul Weston and Jo Stafford in the guise of Jonathan and Darlene Edwards, a New Jersey lounge act who deliberately play the piano and sing off-key, putting their own interpretation on popular songs. Most of the tracks feature Weston's piano playing, although on four he is accompanied by Darlene. The album was released by Columbia Records in 1957. It was re-released in 1985 by Corinthian Records.
Garden of Prayer is a 1954 album of songs recorded by American singer Jo Stafford, accompanied by the orchestra of Paul Weston. Each of the eight tracks on this album has a religious or inspirational theme. It was released in 1954 by Columbia Records, then reissued on CD in 2010 by Sinetone AMR, and appears under two titles - either Garden of Prayer or Beautiful Garden of Prayer.
