Born in Hollis, Oklahoma, he moved to Amarillo with his family at age seven, graduating from Palo Duro High School in 1960, and starring in basketball and football.

After a stint singing with a local rockabilly group, he moved to California to pursue a musical career.

[2] Originally cut as a demo, Stafford's version of the Elvis Presley song "Suspicion" was released on the Crusader record label and made it to no.

[1] "Suspicion" had the distinction of being sixth on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 4, 1964, when the Beatles held the top five spots.

He had been battling liver and kidney ailments for years, and his condition worsened for months until he was finally hospitalized.

Collins ...reference missing..., in an email to Specht, later recalled his goodbye to Stafford while he was on a respirator in the hospital’s intensive care unit.