Damita Jo
R&B diva Damita Jo remains best known for the million-selling 1960 smash "I'll Save the Last Dance for You," her ingenious riposte to the Drifters' "Save the Last Dance for Me." Born Damita Jo DuBlanc in Austin, TX, on August 5, 1930, she grew up in Santa Barbara, CA, and with the backing of pioneering Los Angeles disc jockey Joe Adams landed a two-month residency at the local Club Oasis in 1949. When Adams was appointed to head up Discovery Records' R&B operations, he made Damita Jo one of his first signings and in 1950 produced her debut single "Until the Real Thing Comes Along." Discovery proved short-lived, however, and after another little-noticed solo effort, the Recorded in Hollywood release "How Can I Live"; in late 1951 she joined the venerable Los Angeles R&B group Steve Gibson & the Red Caps, making her recorded debut on their single "I'm to Blame." Damita Jo was not only the featured vocalist on the Red Caps' 1952 hit "I Went to Your Wedding," but two years later became Gibson's wife. As the group's fortunes floundered, so did their marriage, and in 1959 she split from Gibson both personally and professionally.
Signed to Mercury Records by producer Shelby Singleton, Damita Jo supported her Steve Allen-penned debut single "It Takes a Little Loneliness" with an appearance on Allen's late-night television showcase -- despite the publicity the record was not a hit, but she scored a Top 20 R&B smash with the sumptuous follow-up "I'll Save the Last Dance for You," written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. With 1961's "I'll Be There," an answer song to Ben E. King's "Stand by Me," Damita Jo reached number 12 on the Billboard pop charts, but subsequent singles like "I Had Someone Else Before I Had You" and "I'll Get Along Somehow" stalled, and in the wake of the 1962 live LP Damita Jo at the Diplomat, Mercury terminated her contract.
Upon signing to Epic, she scored a minor chart entry with 1965's "If You Go Away," but her career again waned, and after issuing 1968's Miss Damita Jo on the tiny Ranwood label, she focused on the supper-club circuit, later incorporating a comedy routine into her musical act. In 1977 she toured with standup comedian Redd Foxx, and also played Atlantic City in support of Ray Charles, Count Basie, and Lionel Hampton. Following a 1984 Atlantic City residency in support of Joey Bishop, Damita Jo announced her retreat from secular R&B, performing contemporary gospel for the remainder of her career. After a long battle with respiratory illness, Damita Jo died on Christmas Day 1998 at the age of 68.
© Jason Ankeny /TiVo
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I'll Save The Last Dance For You
Jazz - Released by Verve Reissues on 1 jan. 1961
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The Best of Damita Jo
Pop - Released by Vintage Jukebox on 15 apr. 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Very Best Of
Soul - Released by Master Classics Records on 1 sep. 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sing a Country Song...
R&B - Released by Poppydisc on 3 mrt. 1962
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Midnight Session (Live at Basin Street East) (Live)
Jazz - Released by Epic - Legacy on 8 jul. 2016
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
I'll Be There / Hush, Somebody Is Calling My Name (Mono Version)
Pop - Released by BNF Collection on 1 jan. 1961
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
I'll Be There
Jazz - Released by Black & Partner Licenses LLC on 30 mei 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I'll Be There
Pop - Released by Platin Classics Music on 30 mei 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
This One's for You
Wereldmuziek - Released by TP4 Music on 6 jan. 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I'll Be There (Mono Version)
R&B - Released by BNF Collection on 1 jan. 1961
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
I'll Save the Last Time Dance for You (Mono Version)
Pop - Released by BNF Collection on 1 jan. 1961
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
This One's for Me...
R&B - Released by Poppydisc on 10 feb. 1962
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Anthology: Her Early Years (Remastered)
Soul - Released by Master Tape Records on 29 mei 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Love Laid It's Hand on Me
Pop - Released by Jasmine Records on 9 okt. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dance With A Dolly (With A Hole In Her Stocking)
Rock - Released by Mercury on 14 sep. 1961
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Well, Whaddya Know? It's Damita Jo! (Remastered)
Soul - Released by RevOla on 10 aug. 2020
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
No. 2 : Dance With Me Henry (Mono Version)
Pop - Released by BNF Collection on 1 jan. 1962
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo