Jo Baker

Jo Baker, a popular Bay Area rock 'n' roll singer, died Monday at Highland Hospital in Oakland after a long bout with liver disease. She was 48 and had been seriously ill for about two years.

Well known for her belting, bluesy style, Ms. Baker first sang with a group called Cloud, a band she formed with some friends on graduation from high school in her home town of Boston.

She moved to the Bay Area in 1967 when she was invited to become the singer with the Elvin Bishop Band. In 1974, she joined Stoneground, teaming up with vocalist Annie Sampson and recording an album for Warner Bros.

The band performed at the Fillmore Auditorium, the Oakland Arena and other venues, opening for big-name acts like the Doobie Brothers and Eddie Money before breaking up in 1984.