Jo Stafford - It Had to Be You: Lost Radio Recordings

Possessing a tone as clear as a bell, perfect diction and phrasing, and no shortage of personality, Jo Stafford was one of the greatest and bestselling female singers of the pre-rock and roll era and beyond; whether it's her early sides with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and The Pied Pipers or her classic solo recordings for the Capitol and Columbia labels with arranger/conductor husband Paul Weston, there is no mistaking the sound of that magnificent voice.

Now, Real Gone Music have a very special treat for fans of this superb, yet to some degree overlooked, vocalist: a treasure trove of 24 radio performances taken from The Carnation Contented Hour, which Jo cohosted on the Columbia Broadcasting System.

These previously unreleased 1950-1951 recordings come to us from the Tony Martin estate courtesy of Michael Feinstein and with the blessing of Jo's son Tim Weston, and are taken from original master tapes, not transcription discs; remastered by Mike Milchner at SonicVision, these are studio quality sessions and thus a major, major find in the Jo Stafford discography.

It is such a treat to hear Jo interpret songs like "Dream a Little Dream of Me," "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "I've Got the World on a String" that became big hits for other artists; Joe Marchese's notes put it all in context along with rare photographs from that golden era.