Damita Jo DeBlanc (August 5, 1930 – December 25, 1998),[1] known professionally as Damita Jo, was an American actress, comedian, and singer. Her second marriage was to her manager James "Biddy" Wood in 1961.[2]
DeBlanc was born in Austin, Texas, United States.[3] She was the featured vocalist on albums by Steve Gibson and the Red Caps during the 1950s.[4] She later married Gibson, but they parted ways professionally and personally in 1959. The couple had a daughter, Stephanie Latrelle Gibson born April 12, 1955,[5] who carried on the family's musical tradition as a singer and pianist. Her lessons began at the age of 4. She married Nathan Fred Shelton of West Virginia, and had twin boys, Bruce Thomas Shelton and Brian Stephen Shelton in Montclair, New Jersey.
Credited as Damita Jo, DeBlanc had some chart success in the early 1960s with two answer songs: 1960's "I'll Save the Last Dance for You" (an answer to "Save the Last Dance for Me") and 1961's "I'll Be There" (an answer to "Stand by Me"). Both songs were originally sung by Ben E. King (the former with the Drifters) and made the R&B top 20, and "I'll Be There" also reached number 12 on the pop chart. In 1962 she recorded "Dance with a Dolly (With a Hole in her Stocking)", previously made famous by the Andrews Sisters and Bill Haley, for Mercury Records. In 1966 she had a minor hit with a cover of the Jacques Brel song "If You Go Away." She was successful in Sweden, where "I'll Save the Last Dance for You" peaked at number 2 (March 1961), "Do What You Want" at number 5 (July 1961) and "Dance with a Dolly (With a Hole in her Stocking)" at number 3 (January 1962).[citation needed]
damita, deblanc, august, 1930, december, 1998, known, professionally, damita, american, actress, comedian, singer, second, marriage, manager, james, biddy, wood, 1961, contents, biography, discography, albums, singles, filmography, references, external, linksb. Damita Jo DeBlanc August 5 1930 December 25 1998 1 known professionally as Damita Jo was an American actress comedian and singer Her second marriage was to her manager James Biddy Wood in 1961 2 Damita Jo DeBlanc Contents 1 Biography 2 Discography 2 1 Albums 2 2 Singles 3 Filmography 4 References 5 External linksBiography editDeBlanc was born in Austin Texas United States 3 She was the featured vocalist on albums by Steve Gibson and the Red Caps during the 1950s 4 She later married Gibson but they parted ways professionally and personally in 1959 The couple had a daughter Stephanie Latrelle Gibson born April 12 1955 5 who carried on the family s musical tradition as a singer and pianist Her lessons began at the age of 4 She married Nathan Fred Shelton of West Virginia and had twin boys Bruce Thomas Shelton and Brian Stephen Shelton in Montclair New Jersey Credited as Damita Jo DeBlanc had some chart success in the early 1960s with two answer songs 1960 s I ll Save the Last Dance for You an answer to Save the Last Dance for Me and 1961 s I ll Be There an answer to Stand by Me Both songs were originally sung by Ben E King the former with the Drifters and made the R amp B top 20 and I ll Be There also reached number 12 on the pop chart In 1962 she recorded Dance with a Dolly With a Hole in her Stocking previously made famous by the Andrews Sisters and Bill Haley for Mercury Records In 1966 she had a minor hit with a cover of the Jacques Brel song If You Go Away She was successful in Sweden where I ll Save the Last Dance for You peaked at number 2 March 1961 Do What You Want at number 5 July 1961 and Dance with a Dolly With a Hole in her Stocking at number 3 January 1962 citation needed She worked with Ray Charles Count Basie and Lionel Hampton In 1963 she released a recording for Mercury with Billy Eckstine and the Bobby Tucker Orchestra She was involved in comedy and toured with Redd Foxx In 1998 she suffered a respiratory illness and died on December 25 3 in Baltimore Maryland Discography editAlbums edit Year Title Label1961 The Big Fifteen ABC Paramount 378 M S 378 S 1961 I ll Save the Last Dance for You Mercury 20642 M 60642 S 1962 Damita Jo at the Diplomat Mercury 20703 M 60703 S 1962 Sing a Country Song Mercury 20734 M 60734 S 1965 This Is Damita Jo Epic LN 24131 M BN 26131 S 1965 Go Go with Damita Jo RCA Camden CAL 900 M CAS 900 S 1965 Damita Jo Sings Vee Jay LP 1137 M LPS 1137 S 1966 Midnight Session Epic LN 24202 M BN 26202 S 1967 If You Go Away Epic LN 24244 M BN 26244 S 1968 Miss Damita Jo Ranwood 8037Singles edit Year A Side B Side US Pop US CB Pop US R amp B Label Release date1952 I d Do It Again I Don t Care RCA Victor 47 5022 October 19521953 Missing One Heart The Widow Walk RCA Victor 47 5253 January 19531960 I ll Save The Last Dance For You Forgive 22 17 16 Mercury 71690 October 19601961 Keep Your Hands Off Of Him Hush Somebody s Calling My Name 75 74 Mercury 71760 January 1961 Do What You Want Sweet Georgia Brown 114 Mercury 71793 March 1961 I ll Be There Love Laid Its Hands On Me 12 30 15 Mercury 71840 June 1961 Dance With a Dolly With a Hole in Her Stocking You re Nobody Til Somebody Loves You 105 123 Mercury 71871 September 19611962 You re Nobody Til Somebody Loves You Part 1 Part 2 Mercury 71944 September 1961 Tennessee Waltz The Window Up Above 128 Mercury 72019 July 19621963 Stop Foolin with Brook Benton 108 87 Mercury 72207 October 1963 Baby You ve Got It Made with Brook Benton 111 133 October 19631965 Silver Dollar 104 Epic 9766 February 19 1965 Tomorrow Night 88 February 19 19651966 If You Go Away When The Fog Rolls in To San Francisco 62 77 Epic 10061 August 19 1966Filmography edit2009 Damita Jo The Lady is a Tramp Arkadia Jazz DVD 6 References edit Women in Jazz Tribute to Damita Jo DeBlanc Dmdukes com Retrieved April 4 2012 TSHA DeBlanc Damita Jo a b The Dead Rock Stars Club 1998 1999 Thedeadrockstarsclub com Retrieved April 21 2019 The Five Red Caps Singers com Retrieved October 10 2010 Ancestors of Damita Jo DeBlanc PDF Alt coxnewsweb com Retrieved April 21 2019 Damita Jo The Lady is a Tramp DVD Archived from the original on July 18 2010 Retrieved December 9 2009 External links editDamita Jo at AllMusic Biography at the Handbook of Texas Online Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Damita Jo DeBlanc amp oldid 1196294399, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
