Jo Stafford was born in Coalinga, California in 1917. She started singing in local church choirs and community groups before joining the Pied Pipers vocal group in the early 1940s, which was led by Tommy Dorsey.
Her version of "You Belong to Me" with the Pied Pipers became a hit, and she went on to record solo songs like "Serenade of the Bells" and "No Other Love." She also sang "The Things We Did Last Summer" and "Suddenly There's a Valley."
Stafford worked with other singers including Bing Crosby and Doris Day. In the 1950s, some critics commented on her appearance not matching typical beauty standards of the era, but she continued recording.
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