Unearthing Jo-Ann Campbell

So yesterday on my way into work, I grabbed "Jo-Ann Campbell: The Complete Gone & Roulette Recordings". Sitting listening to it at my desk, there arose within me an urge to find out just what the hell this lady's been doing lately. She's still alive as of two years ago is all I really know. That PBS documentary I was in actually had gotten in touch with her for the film. Funny thing is, she's nowhere in the movie. This makes me wonder if they cut it because she's not currently performing anymore, or if she requested it.

So what my snooping uncovered is that apparently she lives in Nashville and is an advocate against wearing fur for the Humane Association. I went on their site trying to find her but didn't have any luck. I guess I'l need to check with Beth Harrington, the director of "Welcome to the Club", in order to get more info. She's been pretty helpful to me thus far. Maybe she'll put me in touch with Jo-Ann.

One thing I also found out on my online search was a wee bit of a shocker, though! I didn't know she had a big old relationship with Bobby Darin prior to the whole Sandra Dee thing. I just saw "Beyond the Sea" a couple of days ago...and while not totally factual, there was no mention of Jo-Ann and I wish there had been!

I'm sure they don't care though, since no one really knows who she is in the mainstream. So there's all these articles from the time period with Jo-Ann Campbell, entitled "Why I Left Bobby Darin" and all that. Maybe he was rebounding from Jo-Ann? And maybe those articles will tell us about him a bit more...like who he really is? I've heard over the years that he was a racist, a wife-beater, a raging alcoholic, and all had manner of sordid personality traits. Of course, if Kevin Spacey's doing an artistic piece he's not going to exactly focus on that, is he? Huh.

Anyway, this is my obsession of the day! I must find Jo-Ann Campbell and see if she will do an interview with me so I can do a feature on her. I'm so eager to hear what her life was and has been like. I also need to check my resources and find out if anything has been written about her recently.

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Word of the Day for Tuesday January 4, 2005

distrait \dis-TRAY\, adjective:
Divided or withdrawn in attention, especially because of
anxiety.

Yet when she stopped for a cup of coffee, finding herself
too distrait to begin work, the picture was in the course
of being removed from the window.
--Anita Brookner, [1]Falling Slowly
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I have found the daily dictionary emails to be more foretelling than horoscopes. Maybe I read too much into words. Hah.