Jo Stafford, who died Wednesday at 90, was a recording artist and big band vocalist who was among the most adored female singers of her generation, whether crooning a classic or cutting up with hillbilly high jinks.

Between the end of the swing era and the early years of the rock ‘n’ roll era, Stafford was a constant presence on the pop records charts, landing nearly a hundred hits and selling a reputed 25 million records for Columbia Records alone. In an era of homey, emotional singers, Stafford was known for the cool, sultry sound of her voice, her sublimely understated approach, and her unique capacity for bringing any song an air of mystery. A flagship interpreter of the Great American Songbook, she was also a champion of such adjoining styles as country and folk. She carved out a parallel career in comedy. Her friend and admirer Rosemary Clooney once said, “The voice says it all: beautiful, pure, straightforward, no artifice, matchless intonation, instantly recognizable. Those things describe the woman too.”