Jo Stafford quotes:

Songwriting is an art unto itself, not to be confused with performing.

I just learned my lyrics and tried not to bump into the trumpet player. That was my philosophy.

The world is a pile of grunge.

I had four or five years in school training as a soprano. I fell into pop singing because of economics. I got out of high school and had to go work, and they weren't hiring opera singers.

Whatever fame came did so not because I sought it.

Songs suffer at the mercy of the performer.

You knew after eight bars that you were hearing something just absolutely new and unique.

I had a very unusual contract. Most artists actually pay for their record dates and it comes out of their royalties. I paid for nothing.

I've got a computer, but I won't go near it.

I'll probably never put out another album because I'm a tough critic of my work, and I don't think I could come up to those standards any more.

I wasn't driven. I just really loved what I did.

When rock music came in, I wasn't bitter about it. I was puzzled.