They All Had Their Own Story

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It should’ve happened… multiple hits, a massive career, world recognition and all the rest.

 

She had a five-and-dime voice. She was wide-eyed,

virginal, hundred and 5 pound waif, and pregnant.

Functioning as a one-time demo singer for Mitch

Miller–A&R captain of Columbia Records—on a

mission to provide a repeatable tune for CBS

program “Studio One.” It was to be a drama about

the shady activities in the record industry; yes, there

is a dark side. Mitch was looking for a voice nobody

knew, so the audience wouldn’t be distracted from the story.

   

Life would be short and trembling for young JOAN WEBER. She sang that song, “LET ME GO LOVER,” six

times on that broadcast, November 15, 1954. The response was immediate and staggering. Within two

weeks, this her first recording had sold half a million copies. This was the first recording shopped on

television, that overnight crashed the Hit Parade solely by means of a onepoff TV plug.

For four weeks, “LET ME GO LOVER” was number one chart topper. Jones’ firstborn arrived prematurely.

The following Sunday she sang on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” Within a month she was co-starring at the

Copacabana, reportedly for 10,000 week. Issued were a few other recordings. All flops; in other words very

poor sales.

18 months after her dizzying ride to the top, Jones contract was terminated, her marriage had ended. For a

flash she performed in nameless bars in Philadelphia. They say she worked as a clerk in a public library in

New Jersey, followed by the spending of remaining time confined to a state mental hospital.

Columbia mail Joan—they claim–a sizable royalty check. It was return the envelope stamped “address

unknown.”