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Jean StaffordJean Stafford was one of the brightest stars to appear over the Australian country music horizon in the early 1960's. Jean has been blessed with one of the most powerful and accurate country voices in Australia. The strength and tonal quality of her delivery are quite unique in our local country music industry, and are exhilarating to experience live. She spent her earlier years in Meander, Northern Tasmania, and then moved to the coastal city of Burnie. Jean's career has come along steadily since she took out first prize in a "country music talent quest" from radio 7LA Launceston. She enjoyed T.V. exposure from the age of 12 when she quested in the earliest days of Television in Northern Tasmania in the popular "Show-Time" series from TNT-9 during 1962, 1963 and 1964. Her recording career began towards the end of 1965 with the release on Hadley Records of a duet with Dusty Rankin. She followed this with a further track on Dusty's second release "Family Bible." More exposure came with two solo tracks on "Country Music Around Australia Vol. 1." Her first solo album "Flowers for Mama" was to gain Jean nation-wide recognition, for it was with this record and the song "What Kind of A Girl Do You Think I Am" that she beat all comers and took out "top female singer" at the 1975 Australasian Country Music Awards in Tamworth. A television special featuring this album followed shortly afterwards for TNT-9. In 1976, 77, 78 and 79, Jean appeared amongst the judges top four finalists at the A.C.M.Awards, then in January 1980 she re-affirmed her position at the top or the country music field by taking out her second golden guitar award with the song "Hello Love", after which she embarked on a successful tour of the N.S.W. Club circuit with the Rex Dallas Show. In 1981 Jean secured her third gold guitar at Tamworth with her gospel recording of "That Glory Bound Train," and shortly after this signed a contract with EMI. Other credits include performing as supporting act to Frank Ifield during his 1978 tour of Northern Tasmania, three tours to New Zealand during 1978, twice to the North Island that included appearances at the New Zealand Golden Guitar Awards at Hastings, and a successful 30 day tour of the South Island. South Australia beckoned in 1978, followed by visits to the club circuits in NSW, Victoria and Queensland during that year and 1979. 1979 was also the year in which Jean was inducted into the "Hands Of Fame" in Tamworth. Jean also made appearances at the 1979, 1980 and 1981 Wandong Trucking and Country Music Festival. 1979 also saw her appearing twice on Reg Lindsay's T.V. Programme "Country Homestead." 2nd January, 1998 |
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