DAMITA JO
Damita Jo
DeBlanc, daughter of Herbert DeBlanc and
Latrelle Plummer was
born in Austin, TX on August 5, 1930. Damita Jo was active in both music and
comedy since the '50s. An International
Supper Club, Television and Recording
Star, she performed on five continents
and her recordings and videotapes are
played everywhere. Her recordings
have topped the charts in America,
Sweden, Norway, Australia, Puerto Rico
and Japan. She is best known
recordings wise for her million seller
"I'm Saving The Last Dance For You"
(# 22 pop, # 16 R&B) a clever answer
record to the Drifters' "Save the Last
Dance For Me".
Her other big hit, "I'll Be There" from
1961 (# 12 pop, # 15 R&B), was also an
answer record, this time to Ben E.
King's "Stand By Me".
Damita Jo recorded the first English
version of "Yellow Days"
and "If
You Go Away"
an adaptation of Jacques Brel's "Ne Me Quitte Pas", with
English lyrics by Rod McKuen
In 1950 she
joined the group of her future husband
Steve Gibson, The 5 Red Caps and
provided the vocals on their 1952 hit,
"I Went To Your Wedding" (# 20 pop), on
RCA Victor. After four years of
marriage, Damita and Steve were divorced
in 1958, but she remained the featured
vocalist of the group until 1960.
In the
seventies she was a regular on Red Foxx
Review television show. She also toured
with the comedian. Retiring in
Baltimore, she later turned to gospel
music, releasing an album of religious
material in 1985. Damito Jo passed away
on Christmas morning, December 25, 1998
at the age of 68 in her hometown of
Baltimore, MD.
CD: The
Very Best of Damita Jo (Collectables,
1997).
