Jean Stafford born January 1, 1950 is an Australian

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

icon. In a career spanning more than five decades in

, she has released multiple gold and platinum selling albums along with her early hits such as “

What Kind of a Girl (Do You Think I Am) "What Kind of a Girl (Do You Think I Am)" is a song written by Loretta Lynn and Teddy Wilburn that was also recorded by Australian country music artist Jean Stafford. Background and reception "What Kind of a Girl (Do You Think I Am)" was record ...

”, “ Hello, Love” and “ That Glory Bound Train”. Stafford has received numerous awards and other accolades for her groundbreaking role in country music including international country music awards from the United States and Europe. Stafford was the only individual female country music artist with high enough selling albums to reach two Aria Award nominations at the 1987

Aria Awards The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austra ...

inauguration. Stafford has won three

Golden Guitar The Big Golden Guitar is one of the many "big" attractions that can be found around Australia. Located in Tamworth, New South Wales, the monument is one of the best-known points of interest in New England. It is also a major attraction duri ...

awards and was inducted into the Country Music Awards of Australia's "Roll Of Renown" in 2008. In 1989, Stafford was officially crowned as “Australia’s Queen Of Country Music” by

Smoky Dawson Smoky Dawson AM, MBE (19 March 191313 February 2008), born as Herbert Henry Brown, was an Australian Country, Western and folk performer, radio star, entertainer, and icon. He was widely touted as Australia's first singing cowboy complete w ...

. Stafford was a regular on “ Midday” a popular Australian television program on the

Nine Network The Nine Network (stylised 9Network, commonly known as Channel Nine or simply Nine) is an Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by parent company Nine Entertainment and is one of five main free-to-air television netw ...

hosted by Ray Martin during the 1980s and 1990s with over 31 performances. Including her many other performances and appearances on Australian television shows such as the “

The Mike Walsh Show ''The Mike Walsh Show'' was an Australian variety daytime television series. Hosted by Mike Walsh, the show ran from 1973 to 1984 for 90 minutes each weekday afternoon. History The program was launched on the 0-10 Network and moved to the Nine ...

”, “ The Ernie Sigley Show” and “It’s Country Today”, Stafford holds the record of the most appearing individual female country music artist on Australian television history.

Early life and career

Stafford was born in

Latrobe, Tasmania Latrobe is a town in northern Tasmania, Australia on the Mersey River. It is 8 km south-east of Devonport on the Bass Highway. It is the main centre of the Latrobe Council. At the 2006 census, Latrobe had a population of 2,843. By t ...

on January 1, 1950. Stafford was the youngest of two daughters born to Ethal Daphne Stafford. Stafford grew up in

Meander A meander is one of a series of regular sinuous curves in the channel of a river or other watercourse. It is produced as a watercourse erodes the sediments of an outer, concave bank ( cut bank) and deposits sediments on an inner, convex ban ...

in a one-room cabin along with her mother, foster-father and six cousins. In 1962, at the age of 12, Stafford made her first television appearance on a program called ''ShowTime'' a popular series from TNT-9

Launceston, Tasmania Launceston () or () is a city in the north of Tasmania, Australia, at the confluence of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River (kanamaluka). As of 2021, Launceston has a population of 87,645. Material was copie ...

at that time. Stafford was the first female country artist to sing on black and white television in Launceston. After leaving school, Stafford worked at a hotel as a kitchen hand in a nearby town of

Deloraine, Tasmania Deloraine is a town on the Meander River, in the central north of Tasmania, Australia. It is 50 km west of Launceston and 52 km south of Devonport along the Bass Highway. It is part of the Meander Valley Council. Deloraine recorde ...

, while performing at local dances on weekends, she began to learn her craft as a professional singer. Stafford's first recordings occur in 1965 at the age of 15, singing several duets with Dusty Rankin for the Hadley Recording Company.

1973-1980s

In 1973, Stafford won first prize in a Country Music Talent Quest in Launceston and received a five-album deal with Hadley Records. 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 The Country Music Awards of Australia also known as the Golden Guitar Awards (originally named Australasian Country Music Awards) is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, in Tamworth, New South Wales ...

with the track "What Kind of a Girl Do You Think I Am". A self-titled studio and third studio album titled, ''I'll Sing You a Country Song'' followed in 1970s. In 1979, Stafford imprinted her hands into the Tamworth Hands of Fame. In 1979, Stafford released her fourth studio album, ''Hello Love'', which won her a second Golden Guitar award in 1980. She won her third Female Vocalist of the Year Golden Guitar award in 1981 for the song "That Glory Bound Train", from her fifth studio album, ''Born Again''. In 1981 Stafford signed a three-album deal with EMI Music Australia and released ''The Way I Feel Inside'' in 1981, ''Someday I'll Take Home the Roses'' in 1982 and ''Burning Bright'' in 1986. In 1985, Stafford began appearing on the '' Ray Martin Midday Show''. In 1985, Stafford was asked to be part of the ''Australia Too'' campaign, recording the

charity single A charity record or charity single is a song released by musicians with most or all proceeds raised going to a dedicated foundation or charity. George Harrison's "Bangla Desh" single in 1971 is commonly acknowledged as the first ever purpose-made ...

" The Garden" for

Freedom from Hunger Freedom from Hunger (established in 1946, and now part of the Grameen Foundation) is an international development organization working in nineteen different countries. Rather than provide food aid, Freedom from Hunger focuses on providing small ...

Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...

. The song peaked at number 38 on the Australian charts. At the 1986 Country Music Awards of Australia, it won Song of the Year. and at the

APRA Music Awards of 1987 The Australasian Performing Right Association Awards of 1987 (generally known as APRA Awards) are a series of awards held in 1987. The APRA Music Awards were presented by Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and the Australasian Mec ...

, the song won Most Performed Australasian Country Work. At the inaugural

ARIA Music Awards The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...

1987 File:1987 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The MS Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes after leaving the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, killing 193; Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, ...

, Stafford was nominated for two awards. 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.

1990-present

In 1990, Stafford released the covers album, ''Classic Jean Stafford'' before heading to

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and ...

where she records for the first time, the album, ''That Says it All'', produced by Jimmie Crawford it was released in 1991. In 1991

Mo Awards The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards) were an annual Australian entertainment industry award, that where established in 1975, to recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia. They were l ...

, Stafford wins Female Country Entertainer of the Year. In 1992, Stafford is appointed Honorary Commissioner to the US by

Tasmanian Government The Tasmanian Government is the democratic administrative authority of the state of Tasmania, Australia. The leader of the party or coalition with the confidence of the House of Assembly, the lower house of the Parliament of Tasmania, is invit ...

for three years, which was later extended. 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. In 1996, Stafford is inducted into the South Australian Country Music Festival Award's Hall of Fame. In 1997, Stafford collaborated her vocals with Grand Ole Opry superstar

Kitty Wells Ellen Muriel Deason (August 30, 1919 – July 16, 2012), known professionally as Kitty Wells, was an American pioneering female country music singer. She broke down a barrier to women in country music with her 1952 hit recording " It Wasn't God ...

. 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 Comet is a historical rich rural town and locality in the Central Highlands Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Comet had a population of 498 people. Geography Comet is the oldest town in the Emerald area, established at ...

. 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 ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a weekly American country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment (a div ...

– the home of Country Music. Stafford credited Kitty Wells as a mentor and later forming a close friendship until wells’ death in 2012 . In 2004, Stafford produced her eleventh studio album “Let the Dance Begin - co-produced with Jimmie Crawford in Nashville. 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 Fort Worth is the List of cities in Texas by population, fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the List of United States cities by population, 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, T ...

, becoming the first Australian to be nominated and win a Western Country Music Awards. In 2008, Stafford was elevated to Australian Roll of Renown at the Country Music Awards Australia before relocating back to Tasmania in 2009. In 2012, Stafford was inducted into the Tasmania Axemans Wall of Fame. In 2016, Stafford was the inaugural inductee in the Tasmanian Independent Country Music Awards Hall of Fame. In 2022, Stafford performed as a part of the tasmanian songbook "Festival Of Voices" in Hobart.

Personal life

Since the early 1980s Stafford has lived in New South Wales, Australia and later the United States in

Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and th ...

, 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 to a previous earlier marriage. Both her daughters have musical talents and have collaborated as backing vocals. Stafford now resides in Tasmania with her family near the township of

Burnie Burnie is a port city on the north-west coast of Tasmania, Australia. When founded in 1827, it was named Emu Bay, being renamed after William Burnie, a director of the Van Diemen's Land Company, in the early 1840s. , Burnie had an urban popu ...

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Singles

Other singles

Television Performances and Appearance

In 1985, Stafford began performing regularly on Midday hosted by Ray Martin on the

. In 1993, after 14 seasons and over 31 performances, Stafford ended her final performance on “Midday”. Later that same year Martin was moved to become the host of A Current Affair.

Awards and nominations

ARIA Awards

Stafford had been nominated for 2

, - , rowspan="2",

, , rowspan="2", ''Burning Bright'' , , ARIA Award for Best Country Album , , , - ,

ARIA Award for Best Female Artist The ARIA Music Award for Best Female Artist, is an award presented at the annual ARIA Music Awards, which recognises "the many achievements of Aussie artists across all music genres", since 1987. It is handed out by the Australian Recording Indu ...

, , , -

APRA Awards

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.

Country Music Awards (CMAA)

Stafford has won three

Golden guitar The Big Golden Guitar is one of the many "big" attractions that can be found around Australia. Located in Tamworth, New South Wales, the monument is one of the best-known points of interest in New England. It is also a major attraction duri ...

awards at the Tamworth

, - , 1975 , , "What Kind of a Girl Do You Think I Am" , , Female Vocalist of the Year , , , - , 1976 , , "Philadelphia Lawyer" , , Female Vocalist of the Year , , , - , 1979 , , "Good Enough To Be Your Wife" , , Female Vocalist of the Year , , , - , 1979 , , herself , , Hands of Fame , , , - , 1980 , , ''Hello, Love'' , , Female Vocalist of the Year , , , - , 1981 , , "That Glory Bound Train" , , Female Vocalist of the Year , , , - , 1982 , , "Cold Winter Body" , , Female Vocalist of the Year , , , - , 1986 , , " The Garden" by Australian Supergroup "Australia Too" , , Apra Song Of The Year , , , - , 2008 , , herself , , Roll of Renown , , , -

Mo Awards

The

are annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia. Stafford has won two awards. , - , 1990 , , herself, , Female Country Entertainer of the Year, , , - , 2015 , , herself , , Country Female Act of the Year, , , -

South Australian Country Music Festival Awards

, - , 1996 , , herself , , Hall of Fame , , , -

Tasmania Axemans Wall of Fame

, - , 2012 , , herself , , Wall of Fame , , , -

Tasmanian Independent Country Music Awards

The Tasmanian Independent Country Music Awards commenced in 2016. , - , 2016 , , herself , , Hall of Fame , , , -

Western Country Music Awards

The Western Country Music Awards commenced in 1996 at

, recognising the performers and artisans active in the contemporary cowboy and western movement. , - , 2006 , , Steelin' The 2 Step , , Female Vocalist of the Year , , , -

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stafford, Jean 1950 births Living people Australian country singers People from Latrobe, Tasmania Musicians from Tasmania