Solo career

In 1944, Stafford left the Pied Pipers to launch a solo career. His work with the United Service Organizations, which gave the various performances for troops stationed abroad, earned him the nickname of "GI Jo."
Since 1944 participated in a radio program of music and variety of the NBC radio station called The Chesterfield Supper Club.
In 1948 Stafford and Gordon MacRae had a big hit with his version of "Say Something Sweet to Your Sweetheart" in 1949 and repeated the success with "My Happiness".
In 1950 he left Columbia for Capitol Records, turning back to Capitol in 1961. Columbia was the first artist to sell 25 million records. During his second term on Capitol, Stafford also recorded for Reprise, Frank Sinatra stamp. The album appeared between 1961 and 1964. forbes Stafford left when Sinatra Reprise sold it to Warner Bros.
In the 1950s was a string of hits with Frankie Laine, six of which entered the list of most sold, and the duet they did with the theme of Hank Williams' "Hey Good Lookin '" to get top ten in 1951. At the same time Stafford achieving their best-known hits with great recordings such as "Jambalaya," "Shrimp Boats", "Make Love to Me" and "You Belong to Me." The last of the songs was the best selling of Stafford's career, leading the sales lists in the United States and United Kingdom (the first time that a British singer topped the list).