- Sami Jo
Sami Jo (born Jane Annette Jobe on May 9, 1947 in Batesville,
Arkansas ) was an American countrysinger . She is best known for her 1974 single "Tell Me a Lie ", which peaked at No. 21 on the PopTop 40 that same year. [Joel Whitburn, "The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits". 7th edn, 2000]Sami Jo was raised in a religious family in Batesville, AR. She began singing on local radio at age 3 and was also a local beauty queen during high school. When she was 19 she moved to Dallas, where she acquired the nickname "Sam" from a roommate, which eventually turned into "Sami Jo". [John O'Dowd, "Sami Jo: Lady With The Powerhouse Voice". website article at http://www.hollywoodstarletbarbarapayton.com/samijo/index.html, 2006]
Her early career was guided by Atlanta music legend Sonny Limbo. He connected Sami Jo with Rick Hall in Muscle Shoals, AL, where she recorded two singles that failed to chart. Sonny then got her a deal with MGM South, which led to Sami Jo's first hit, "Tell Me A Lie". [John O'Dowd, "Sami Jo: Lady With The Powerhouse Voice". website article at http://www.hollywoodstarletbarbarapayton.com/samijo/index.html, 2006] In addition to reaching #21 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart, it also reached #14 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart. [Joel Whitburn, "Top Adult Contemporary 1961-1993". 1994] Her follow-up single, "It Could Have Been Me", also did well, reaching #46 pop and #31 easy listening. Her first
album , also entitled "It Could Have Been Me", peaked at #33 on the U.S. Country Albums chart. [ [http://wm02.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:azfuxq85ldse~T5 Sami Jo] at Allmusic.com] .Despite this early success, Sami Jo did not achieve another major hit on either the pop or the country charts. In 1975, after MGM South was folded into its parent label, MGM Records, Sami Jo charted one record ("I'll Believe Anything You Say") at #62 on Billboard's Top Country Singles chart. [Joel Whitburn, "Top Country Singles". 4th edn, 1998] When MGM Records was merged into Polydor Records, Sami Jo continued recording for the new label, achieving two minor country hits ("God Loves Us" and "Take Me To Heaven") in 1976, working with Jimmy Bowen as her producer.
After these two singles, Sami Jo was dropped by her label. She was signed to Elektra/Asylum's country division in 1981 by its president, her former producer Jimmy Bowen. Even though her recordings were produced by Bowen, neither of her two charting singles ("One Love Over Easy" and a remake of Eddie Rabbitt's "I Can't Help Myself") cracked the top 70 on the country chart. In 1983, her label was merged into its parent company, Warner Brothers. She worked with producer Jim Ed Norman (best known for his work with Anne Murray) on a remake of Brenda Lee's "Emotions", but Warner Brothers recalled the single soon after sending promo singles to radio stations. She also recorded some tracks for the Southern Tracks label, but none charted. [John O'Dowd, "Sami Jo: Lady With The Powerhouse Voice". website article at http://www.hollywoodstarletbarbarapayton.com/samijo/index.html, 2006]
After her music career ended, Sami Jo managed two stores in Tulsa, OK. [John O'Dowd, "Sami Jo: Lady With The Powerhouse Voice". website article at http://www.hollywoodstarletbarbarapayton.com/samijo/index.html, 2006]
She has a son, Tony, and a grandson, Maximus. [John O'Dowd, "Sami Jo: Lady With The Powerhouse Voice". website article at http://www.hollywoodstarletbarbarapayton.com/samijo/index.html, 2006]
"Tell Me a Lie" was later covered by the 1980s recording artist
Janie Fricke in 1983, who turned the song into a No. 1 Country hit.Additional Information
In-depth interview with Sami Jo: http://www.hollywoodstarletbarbarapayton.com/samijo/index.html
Discography
*"It Could Have Been Me" (MGM South, 1974)
References
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