Joni James

Genres:	Vocals
Descriptive "tags":	easy listening • pop • female • early baby boomer • jazz • vocal • american • female vocalists • sweet • standards • j • your cheating heart • need to rate
Decades Active:	1950s • 1960s • 1990s • 2000s
Links online:	Wikipedia

Biography

Giovanna Carmella Babbo, 22 September 1930, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Growing up during the Depression years, James attended drama and dance lessons and organized a ballet club in high school. Following graduation, she worked as a dancer and began singing. In 1952 she recorded her first tracks for MGM Records, with the second single, ‘Why Don’t You Believe Me’, becoming a million-seller and a number 1 hit on the US pop charts. The hit was later covered by both Patti Page and Margaret Whiting. James next two singles, the double-sided hit ‘Have You Heard’/‘Wishing Ring’ and a cover of Hank Williams’ ‘Your Cheatin’ Heart’, were also major hits. James hit the Top 10 four more times up to 1955 with ‘Almost Always’, ‘My Love, My Love’, ‘How Important Can It Be?’ and ‘You Are My Love’. James continued to record for MGM until 1964; when the hits stopped coming she retired from...

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