Jean StaffordOAM (born 1 January 1950) is a country music singer and songwriter who gained prominence in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, known for her rich voice and traditional country style. Stafford has won numerous awards and accolades, earning her the title as “Australia’s Queen of Country Music.” Stafford has sold gold and platinum albums throughout her career, along with her hit song Someday I'll Take Home The Roses.
In 1991, for her contributions to Country Music, Stafford received a ceremonial Key to the City of Nashville, awarded by the Tennessee Governor Ned McWherter. Stafford is the only Australian to have ever received this honour. Stafford also received honorary Tennessean citizenship, awarded in recognition of her significant and outstanding service to country music.
Stafford was the first and only female country music artist to have albums with high sales that led to her receiving two Aria nominations at the 1987 Aria Awards inauguration. Stafford has won three Golden Guitar awards and was inducted into the Country Music Awards of Australia's "Roll Of Renown" in 2008.[1]
Stafford was a frequent guest on "Midday" a popular Australian television program on the Nine Network hosted by Ray Martin during the 1980s and 1990s with over 40 performances. Alongside midday, her numerous appearances on Australian television shows like "The Mike Walsh Show", "The Ernie Sigley Show" and "It's Country Today", Stafford holds the record for the most appearances by an individual female country music artist in Australian television history.
Early life and career
Stafford was born on January 1, 1950.[2] and grew up in the rural country town of Meander in northern Tasmania.[citation needed]
In 1962, at the age of 12, Stafford made her first television appearance on a program called ShowTime a popular series from TNT-9Launceston, Tasmania at that time.[3] After leaving school in Meander, Stafford worked at a hotel as a kitchen hand in a nearby town of Deloraine, Tasmania, while performing at local dances on weekends, she began to learn her craft as a professional singer.[citation needed]
Stafford began her recording career in 1965, teaming up with Australian country music pioneer Dusty Rankin. Stafford recorded several tracks with Rankin including “Promised To John” for Hadley Recording Company owned and operated by Eric Scott in Tamworth.
In 1970, Stafford recorded two tracks on a special mixed artists L.P. (Country Music Around Australia Volume 1) with Hadley “The Hands You’re Holding Now” and “I Thought Of You”.[3]
1973-1980s
In 1973, Stafford won first prize in a Country Music Talent contest in Launceston and with this received a five-album deal with Hadley Records.[3] Stafford's debut album Flowers for Mama was recorded in Tamworth was released in 1974. It gained her Australia-wide recognition, winning her first Golden Guitar Award at the 1975 Country Music Awards of Australia with the song "What Kind of a Girl Do You Think I Am". In 1979, Stafford imprinted her hands into the Tamworth Hands of Fame.[4] Stafford won her a second Golden Guitar award for Female Vocalist of the Year in 1980.[3] followed by her third Golden Guitar award for Female Vocalist of the Year 1981.
After exiting Hadley Records, Stafford signed with a major recording company in Sydney, EMI Music Australia The first album was titled The Way I Feel Inside, released in 1981. The album received critical acclaim and reached the top of the country music charts. The album itself was praised for Stafford's passionate performance. However, despite the positive response to the album, it did not chart as high as her later albums with the label.
Someday I'll Take Home the Roses, Stafford's second album under the EMI deal, was released in 1982. The album's title track was written by Stafford and became a hit single, and the album itself debuted at number 21 on the Australian country music chart. The album showcased Stafford's emotional depth and versatility, featuring ballads and up-tempo numbers.
Stafford's final album under the EMI Music Australia deal was Burning Bright, co-produced by Rod Coe and released in 1986. The album featured a more polished sound, with elements of cross-over music infused into Stafford's traditional country sound. Besides the success of three singles on the album, "Beyond The Great Divide," was a top-40 hit in Australia. While the album received mixed reviews, it paved the way for Stafford to expand her musical repertoire and known as one of her best-selling albums of her career
.[3] In 1985, Stafford began appearing on the Ray Martin Midday Show, Stafford was asked that same year to be part of the Australia Too campaign, recording the charity single "The Garden" for Freedom from Hunger in Ethiopia. The song peaked at number 38 on the Australian charts. At the 1986 Country Music Awards of Australia, it won Song of the Year.[5] and at the APRA Music Awards of 1987, the song won Most Performed Australasian Country Work.[6]
At the inaugural ARIA Music Awards in 1987, Stafford was nominated for two awards. Stafford was the only female up against the males in the "Best Country Album" category and the only country artist in the "Best Female Artist" category.[3][7] In 1988, her first compilation album, The Golden Voice of Country was released.
In 1989, Stafford was crowned Australia's Queen of Country Music in Sydney by Smoky Dawson.[8]
JeanStafford
1990-present
In 1990, Stafford released the album, Classic Jean Stafford before heading to Nashville, Tennessee where she records for the first time, the album, That Says it All, produced by Jimmie Crawford it was released in 1991.[3] In 1991 Mo Awards, Stafford wins Female Country Entertainer of the Year.[9]
In 1992, Stafford is appointed Honorary Commissioner to the US by Tasmanian Government for three years, which was later extended.[3]
In 1993, Stafford wrote and recorded the song, "Tassie's Got It All", promoting Tasmanian tourism. The song and video are played across North America and Europe.[3]
In 1996, Stafford is inducted into the South Australian Country Music Festival Award's Hall of Fame.[3]
In 1997, Stafford collaborated her vocals with Grand Ole Opry superstar Kitty Wells. The duo recorded wells’ 1952 hit "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" as a single and later released on compilation album as The Queens of Country Music.
In 1998, Stafford and wells formed an Australian tour to promote the album ending their final concert in Comet, Queensland. Wells had openly stated on a number of occasions that she believed stafford to be equal to other members at the Grand Ole Opry – the home of Country Music. Stafford credited Kitty Wells as a mentor and later forming a close friendship until wells' death in 2012 .[3]
In 2004, Stafford produced her eleventh studio album “Let the Dance Begin - co-produced with Jimmie Crawford in Nashville.[3] her first commercial release in over a decade. all songs on the album were completely composed and written by Stafford. The album “Let the Dance Begin” has won stafford many awards and accolades including Female Vocalist of the Year at the Western Country Music Awards in Fort Worth, Texas, becoming the first Australian to be nominated and win a Western Country Music Awards.[3]
In 2008, Stafford was elevated to Australian Roll of Renown at the Country Music Awards Australia[3] before relocating back to Tasmania in 2009.[3]
In 2012, Stafford was inducted into the Tasmania Axemans Wall of Fame.[3] In 2016, Stafford was the inaugural inductee in the Tasmanian Independent Country Music Awards Hall of Fame.[3][10]
In 2019, At the annual Country Music Awards of Australia held in Tamworth, Stafford was announced and recognised respectfully by the CMAA's as the official "Australia's Queen Of Country Music" for first time since being crowned by Smoky Dawson in 1989. Stafford alongside Rex Dallas, presented Travis Collins with a Golden Guitar for Male Artist of the Year.
In 2022, Stafford performed as one of the headlining acts of the Tasmanian songbook "Festival Of Voices" held in Devonport, Launceston and Hobart.
On 12 June 2023, Stafford received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the King's Birthday Honours for her "service to the performing arts".[11]
Stafford is currently still active performing, writing and recording music as of today.
Since the early 1980s Stafford has lived in New South Wales, Australia and later the United States in Nashville, for several years as an honorary citizen of Tennessee.
In 1991 she returned to Australia and married her long-time pedal steel guitarist Wayne Appleby.
Stafford has three children from a previous marriage.
In 1985, Stafford began performing regularly on Midday hosted by Ray Martin on the Nine Network.
In 1993, after 14 seasons and over 47 performances, Stafford ended her final performance on "Midday". Later that same year Martin was moved to become the host of A Current Affair.
At the APRA Music Awards of 1987, Stafford was one of the vocalist in the Australian Supergroup line-up "Australia Too" the song The Garden won Most Performed Australasian Country Work. All Proceeds went to Freedom from Hunger in Ethiopia. The song peaked at number 38 on the Australian singles chart.
The Mo Awards are annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia. Stafford has won two awards.[9]
^ ab"Winners by Year 1987". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
^Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 22. ISBN0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and 19 June 1988.
