HERE'S A STORY OF LOVE WINNING OUT OVER CELEBRITY

Today's Sarasota Herald-Tribune has a nice piece this morning about a woman who had a choice to become famous, but turned it down in the name of love.

Back in the day when the big bands ruled America's music scene, Benny Goodman was known as the "King of Swing". While in Chicago one evening, Goodman heard a young lady singing with Henry Biagini's ballroom orchestra. He was so impressed by the performance that he approached her after the show and invited her to join his band, which at the time was at the peak of it's success.

The then-19 year old Leona Garufy turned the offer down so that she could marry her sweetheart, Francis.

This story would have simply ended there, except for the fact that the vocalist spot that Ms. Garufy refused was taken shortly afterward by a young woman from North Dakota...Peggy Lee.

As for Ms. Garufy, she and her family eventually moved from New Jersey to Port Charlotte. She never gave up her love of singing, performing and competing with the Sweet Adelines organization of female barbershop-style singers. She died last week in Port Charlotte at the age of 88.

We can always wonder "What if...".