Damita Jo DeBlanc


Damita Jo DeBlanc, known professionally as Damita Jo, was an American actress, comedian, and lounge music performer.

Biography

DeBlanc was born in Austin, Texas, United States. She was the featured vocalist on albums by Steve Gibson and the Red Caps during the 1950s. She later married Gibson, but they parted ways professionally and personally in 1959. The couple had a daughter, Stephanie Latrelle Gibson born April 12, 1955. She carried on the families musical tradition as a singer and pianist where her lessons began at the age of 4. Later marrying Nathan Fred Shelton of West Virginia, and having twin boys, Bruce Thomas Shelton and Brian Stephen Shelton in Montclair, New Jersey.
Credited as Damita Jo, DeBlanc had some chart success in the early 1960s with two answer songs: 1960's "I'll Save the Last Dance for You" and 1961's "I'll Be There". Both songs were originally sung by Ben E. King and made the R&B top 20, and "I'll Be There" also reached number 12 on the pop chart. In 1962 she recorded "Dance with a Dolly ", previously made famous by the Andrews Sisters and Bill Haley, for Mercury Records. In 1966 she had a minor hit with a cover of the Jacques Brel song "If You Go Away." She was successful in Sweden, where "I'll Save the Last Dance for You" peaked at number 2, "Do What You Want" at number 5 and "Dance with a Dolly.
She worked with Ray Charles, Count Basie, and Lionel Hampton. In 1963, she released a recording for Mercury with Billy Eckstine and the Bobby Tucker Orchestra. She was involved in comedy and toured with Redd Foxx.
In 1998, she suffered a respiratory illness and died on Christmas Day in Baltimore, Maryland.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Filmography