Mary Stafford

Mary Stafford became the initial black girl to record for Columbia Information, releasing records beneath the name Mary Stafford & Her Jazz Music group. After shifting east from Missouri in the middle-’10s, Stafford caused Eubie Banking institutions, Bessie Smith, and Madison Reed in Atlantic Town and Baltimore. She was supported by Charlie Johnson’s Orchestra (including her sibling George, a drummer) through the middle-’20s. Stafford spent all of those other decade performing in the nightclubs of NY and Maryland. The first ’30s brought the musical revues Dear Aged Southland as well as the Rocking Seat Revue. In 1932, she resolved in Atlantic Town and retired from music. Her music “I’m Gonna Jazz My Method Straight Through Heaven” appeared for the collection Blue Girls [Memphis Archives].