Patti Page
Encyclopedia
Clara Ann Fowler known by her professional name Patti Page, is an American
singer, one of the best-known female artists in traditional pop music
. She was the best-selling female artist of the 1950s, and has sold over 100 million records. Her nickname is The Singin' Rage (a phrase commonly followed by "Miss Patti Page").
Page signed with Mercury Records
in 1947, and became their first successful female artist, starting with 1948's "Confess
". In 1950, she had her first million-selling single "With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming
", and would eventually have 14 additional million-selling singles between 1950 and 1965.
Page's signature song, "Tennessee Waltz", recorded in 1950, was one of the biggest-selling singles of the twentieth century, and is also one of the two official state songs of Tennessee
. "Tennessee Waltz" spent 13 weeks atop the Billboard magazine's Best-Sellers List in 1950. Page had three additional #1 hit singles between 1950 and 1953, with "All My Love (Bolero)
", "I Went to Your Wedding
", and "(How Much Is That) Doggie in the Window
".
Unlike most pop music singers, Page blended the styles of country music
into many of her most popular songs. By doing this, many of Page's singles also made the Billboard Country Chart
. Towards the 1970s, Page shifted her career towards country music, and she began charting on the country charts, up until 1982. Page is one of the few vocalists who have made the country charts in five separate decades.
When rock & roll music became popular during the second half of the 1950s, traditional pop music was becoming less popular. Page was one of the few traditional pop music singers who was able to sustain her success, continuing to have major hits into the mid-1960s with "Old Cape Cod
", "Allegheny Moon
", "A Poor Man's Roses (Or a Rich Man's Gold)
", and "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte
".
In 1997, Patti Page was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame
. In 2007 Patti Page was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
, (although some sources give Muskogee, Oklahoma
). She was born into a large and poor family. Her father worked on the MKT railroad
, while her mother and older sisters picked cotton
. As she related on television many years later, the family went without electricity
, and therefore she could not read after dark. She attended Daniel Webster High School
in Tulsa, from which she graduated in 1945.
Fowler became a featured singer on a 15-minute radio program on radio station KTUL
, Tulsa, Oklahoma
, at age 18. The program was sponsored by the "Page Milk Company." On the air, Fowler was dubbed "Patti Page," after the Page Milk Company. In 1946, Jack Rael, a saxophone player and band manager, came to Tulsa to do a one-night show. Rael heard Page on the radio and liked her voice. Rael asked her to join the band he managed, the "Jimmy Joy Band." Rael would later become Page's personal manager, after leaving the band.
Page toured with the "Jimmy Joy Band" throughout the country in the mid-1940s. The band eventually ended up in Chicago, Illinois, in 1947. In Chicago, Page ate with a small group led by popular orchestra leader, Benny Goodman
. This helped Page gain her first recording contract with Mercury Records
the same year. Page became Mercury Records' "girl singer."
," during a strike meaning background singers were not available to provide harmony vocals for the song. Instead, Page and the label decided to overdub her vocals on the song, in harmony
. Mitch Miller
, who produced for Mercury Records, was able to overdub Page's voice, due to his well-known use of technology. Thus, Page became the first pop artist to overdub her vocals on a song. This idea would later be used on Page's biggest hit singles in the 1950s. In 1948, "Confess" became a Top 15 hit on Billboard magazine, peaking at #12 on the "Best-Sellers" chart, becoming her first major hit on the pop chart. Page followed the single with four more in 1948-1949, only one of which was a Top 20 hit, "So in Love
" (1949). Page also had a Top 15 hit on the Billboard magazine country chart in 1949 with "Money, Marbles, and Chalk
."
In 1950, Page had her first million-selling single "With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming
," another song where she harmonized her vocals. Because she was overdubbing her vocals, Page's name would be listed on the Pop charts as a group name. According to one early-1950s' chart, Page was titled as "The Patti Page Quartet," among others. Towards the middle of 1950, Page's single, "All My Love (Bolero)
" peaked at #1 on Billboard magazine, becoming her first #1 hit, spending five weeks there. That same year, she also had her first Top 10 hit with "I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine
," as well as the Top 25 single, "Back in Your Own Backyard
."
"Tennessee Waltz" was originally recorded by country music band Pee Wee King & His Golden West Cowboys
in 1947, becoming a major hit on the country charts for them in 1948. It also became a major country hit for country star Cowboy Copas
around the same time. Page was introduced to the song by Jerry Wexler, who suggested she cover a recent R&B version by the Erskine Hawkins
orchestra. Page liked the song and she eventually recorded and released it as a single.
The song spent 13 weeks at #1 between 1950 and 1951.
"Tennessee Waltz" also became Page's second single to reach the country chart, becoming her biggest hit there, reaching #2.
The song would later become one of the best-selling records of the time, selling seven million copies in the early '50s, which prompted various cover versions of the song to appear on the charts during the year.
"Tennessee Waltz" has also represented the biggest commercial success for the overdubbing technique to date.
Today, the song has come close to selling fifteen million copies. It also became the last song to sell one million copies of sheet music, due to the increasing popularity of recorded music. It was featured in the 1983 film The Right Stuff.
," which was a Top 5 hit, and also sold a million copies. The next single, "Mockin' Bird Hill
," (a cover of the version by Les Paul
and Mary Ford
was another major hit that year) was her fourth single that sold a million copies. Page had three additional Top 10 hits on Billboard magazine in 1951, starting with "Mister and Mississippi
," which peaked at #8, "And So to Sleep Again
", and "Detour
," which had previously been recorded and made famous by Foy Willing
and Elton Britt
. Page's version became the most-popular and would become Page's seventh million-selling single.
She also released her first studio album in 1951 titled, Folk Song Favorites
, covers of Page's favorite folk songs. In 1952, Page had a third #1 hit with "I Went to Your Wedding
," which spent two months at the top spot. Recorded in a country ballad style, the song was the flip-side of one of her other Top 10 hits that year, "You Belong to Me
." "I Went to Your Wedding" became more successful, and the single became Page's eighth million-selling single in the United States (ironically, it displaced Jo Stafford
's version of "You Belong to Me" at #1 on Billboard's Best Seller chart).
She had continued success that year, with three additional songs in the Top 10 with "Come What May
," "Once In a While
," and "Why Don't You Believe Me" (the most popular version was recorded by Joni James
).
In 1953, a novelty tune, "(How Much Is That) Doggie In the Window" became Page's fourth #1 hit, selling over a million copies, and staying on the best-sellers chart for five months. The song included a dog barking in the recording, which helped make the song popular and one of her best-known and signature songs.
The song was written by novelty tune specialist, Bob Merrill
. It was originally recorded by Page for a children's album that year.
She had a series of Top 20 hits that year. A final single that year reached the Top 5 titled "Changing Partners
," which peaked at #3 and stayed on the charts for five months. The song was also recorded in a country melody, like many of Page's hits at the time.
Into 1954, Page had further hits, including "Cross Over the Bridge
," which also over-dubbed Page's vocals and became a major hit, peaking at #2, nearly reaching the top spot. Other Top 10 hits by Page that year included, "Steam Heat
" (from the Broadway musical The Pajama Game
) and "Let Me Go Lover" (the best known version of the latter recorded by Joan Weber
).
In 1955 Page had one charting single with "Croce di Oro," due to the increasing popularity of Rock & Roll music.
Unlike most traditional pop music singers at the time, Page was able to maintain her success in the late-50s (although not as successful as the early-50s), having three major hits in 1956, including the #2 hit "Allegheny Moon
." In 1957 she had other major hits with "A Poor Man's Roses (Or a Rich Man's Gold)
" (recorded the same year by Patsy Cline
) and the Top 5 hit, "Old Cape Cod
."
In 1956 Vic Schoen
became the musical director for Patti Page producing a long string of hits that included Mama From the Train
, Allegheny Moon
, Old Cape Cod
, Belonging To Someone
, and Left Right Out of Your Heart
. Page and Schoen’s most challenging project was a new recording of Gordon Jenkins
narrative tone poem Manhattan Tower (recorded September 1956). The album was a tremendous success, both artistically and commercially, reaching No. 18 on the Billboard LP chart, the highest ranking of any album she ever made. Vic Schoen’s arrangements were far more lively and jazzy than the original Jenkins
arrangements. Schoen recalled, “Patti was an alto, but I pushed her to reach notes higher than she had sung before for this album. We always enjoyed working together.” Page and Schoen kept in touch and worked together all the way up until 1999.
During the 1950s, Page regularly appeared on a series of network television shows and programs, including The Dean Martin Show
, The Ed Sullivan Show
, and The Steve Allen Show
. This eventually led to Page acquiring some television specials of her own during the 1950s. Page would later have her own series, beginning with Scott Music Hall on NBC
in the 1952-53 season, and a syndicated series for Oldsmobile
in 1955 titled The Patti Page Show. However, the show only lasted one season, as did The Big Record on CBS
(1957–58) and ABC
's The Patti Page Olds Show (1958–59). Page also acted in fims during this time, given a role on the CBS
show, Playhouse 90
. Page made her film debut in the 60s, with the 1960 film, Elmer Gantry
.
Page also recorded the theme song for the film, Boys Night Out
, in which Page also had a role, playing Joanne McIllenny.
In the early 1960s, Page's success began to decrease,
having no major hits up until 1961's "You'll Answer to Me" and "Mom and Dad's Waltz." Page had her last major hit on the Billboard Pop Chart
in 1965 with "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte
," from the film of the same name
starring Bette Davis
and Olivia De Havilland
, which peaked at #8, becoming her last top 10 hit (and her first since 1957).
, where she stayed towards the end of the decade. She released a few studio albums for the Columbia label in the 60s. Up until 1970, her singles began to chart on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
chart. Many of these singles became major hits, peaking in the Top 20, including cover versions of "You Can't Be True, Dear
," "Gentle On My Mind" and "Little Green Apples
" (the latter being her last pop chart entry). Page, who is a fan of country music, has recorded cover versions of many country songs throughout the years. Some of these songs were recorded under Columbia and were released as Adult Contemporary singles, including David Houston's
"Almost Persuaded
" and Tammy Wynette
's "Stand by Your Man
." Page left Columbia at the end of the 60s.
In 1970, Page returned to Mercury Records and shifted her career towards country music. In 1973, she returned to working with her former record producer, Shelby Singleton
.
Under Mercury, Columbia, and Epic in the 70s, Page recorded a series of country singles, beginning with 1970's "I Wish I Had a Mommy Like You," which became a Top 25 hit, followed by "Give Him Love," with similar success. In 1971, she released a country music studio album, I'd Rather Be Sorry, for Mercury records. In the early 70s, she had additional charted hits; her most successful was in 1973, a duet with country singer Tom T. Hall
titled, "Hello, We're Lonely" which was a Top 20 hit, reaching #14 on the Bilboard Country Chart
.
Also, in 1973, Page moved back to Columbia Records, recording for Epic Records
(a subsidiary). In 1974 and 1975, she released singles for Avco records again,
with country singles "I May Not Be Lovin' You" and "Less Than the Song," both of which were minor country hits. After a five-year hiatus, she recorded for Plantation Records
in 1980. In the early 80s, she also performed with major symphony orchestras in Cincinnati, Ohio
, and Mexico City, Mexico
.
She had a Top 40 hit with the Plantation label in 1981 titled "No Aces," followed by a series of minor country hits, including her last-charting single, "My Man Friday," which reached #80.
.
In 1988, Page appeared in New York City
to perform at the Ballroom, making it the first time she performed in New York in nearly twenty years. She received positive reviews from music critics.
In the 1990s, Page founded her own record label, C.A.F. Records, which released various albums, including a 2003 children's album.
In the early '90s, Page moved west to San Diego, California
, and continued to perform live shows at venues across the country.
In 1998, Page recorded her first live album. It was performed at Carnegie Hall
in New York and titled, Live at Carnegie Hall: The 50th Anniversary Concert
. The album won Page a Grammy Award
the following year for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance which, despite her prolific career, was her first Grammy.
In 2000, she released a new album, Brand New Tennessee Waltz, which consisted of new music. Harmony vocals were provided by popular country stars, including Suzy Bogguss
, Alison Krauss
, Kathy Mattea
, and Trisha Yearwood
. The album was promoted at the Ryman Auditorium
in Nashville, Tennessee
in 2000.
On October 4, 2001, Bob Baines, the mayor of Manchester, New Hampshire
declared the day "Patti Page Day" in the town. Miss Page was in Manchester to perform a sold-out concert at the Palace Theatre to benefit Merrimack Valley Assistance Program.
In 1998, a sample of Patti Page's recording of "Old Cape Cod
" formed the basis of Groove Armada
's 1998 UK hit "At the River
". The lines "If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air, / Quaint little villages here and there..." sung in Page's multi-tracked close-harmony, are repeated over and over, with the addition of synthesizer
bass, slowed-down drums and a bluesy trombone
solo to produce a chill-out track. The success of this track exposed Page's music to a younger audience.
In 1999, Vic Schoen reunited with Page to record a CD for a Chinese label.
In 2005, she performed a series of engagements at a theatre in Branson, Missouri
, starting on September 12.
Until recently, Page was a host of a weekly Sunday program on the "Music of Your Life
" radio network
. She and Jack White
of The White Stripes
were interviewed in January 2008, after the White Stripes recorded Page's early '50s hit, "Conquest
" on their 2007 studio album, Icky Thump
. Page and White were put together on the phone during the interview, talking to each other about their views on "Conquest."
In 2007, Page was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
Now in her mid-80s, Page continues to tour, performing 50 select concerts a year across the United States and Canada
.
arrangement.
During the '50s, Mercury Records was controlled by Mitch Miller
, who produced most of Page's music. Miller found that the simple-structured melodies and storylines in country music songs could be adapted to the pop music market. Page, who was born in Oklahoma, felt comfortable using this idea. Many of Page's most successful hits featured a country music arrangement, including her signature song, "Tennessee Waltz," as well as "I Went to Your Wedding" and "Changing Partners." Some of these singles charted on the Billboard Country Chart during the '40s, '50s, and early '60s for this reason.
Many other artists were introduced to Page's style and incorporated the same country arrangement into many of their songs, including The Andrews Sisters
and Bing Crosby
, who together had a #1 hit on the country charts in the late '40s with "Pistol Packin' Mama."
Page has been married three times. She married University of Wisconsin student Jack Skiba in May 1948 and moved with him to New York, but asked for and received a no-fault divorce in Wisconsin within a year. Her second husband was Charles O'Curran, a choreographer, whom she married in 1956. Together, Page and O'Curran adopted two children: a son, Danny, and a daughter, Kathleen. They divorced in 1972.
Page married her third husband, Jerry Filiciotto, in 1990. Filiciotto died on April 18, 2009. They ran a maple syrup
business in New Hampshire
and resided in Solana Beach, California
.
One of legendary Hollywood arranger Vic Schoen’s favorite singers for whom he arranged songs was Patti Page. Schoen once recalled, "She was one of the nicest and most accommodating singers I've ever worked with." She and Schoen remained close friends and spoke regularly until his death in 2000.
(For a more complete collection, see List of songs recorded by Patti Page.)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, one of the best-known female artists in traditional pop music
Traditional pop music
Traditional pop or classic pop or standards music denotes, in general, Western popular music that either wholly predates the advent of rock and roll in the mid-1950s, or to any popular music which exists concurrently to rock and roll but originated in a time before the appearance of rock and roll,...
. She was the best-selling female artist of the 1950s, and has sold over 100 million records. Her nickname is The Singin' Rage (a phrase commonly followed by "Miss Patti Page").
Page signed with Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
in 1947, and became their first successful female artist, starting with 1948's "Confess
Confess (song)
Confess is a popular song written by Bennie Benjamin and George David Weiss.The song figures in the early careers of two important female singers:...
". In 1950, she had her first million-selling single "With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming
With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming
"With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming" is a popular song.It was written by Harry Revel and Mack Gordon , and published in 1934.The song was introduced by Jack Oakie and Dorothy Dell in the movie Shoot the Works....
", and would eventually have 14 additional million-selling singles between 1950 and 1965.
Page's signature song, "Tennessee Waltz", recorded in 1950, was one of the biggest-selling singles of the twentieth century, and is also one of the two official state songs of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. "Tennessee Waltz" spent 13 weeks atop the Billboard magazine's Best-Sellers List in 1950. Page had three additional #1 hit singles between 1950 and 1953, with "All My Love (Bolero)
All My Love (Bolero)
"All My Love " is a popular song. The music was written by Paul Durand, based on Maurice Ravel's Boléro. French lyrics were written by Henri Contet, the English lyrics by Mitchell Parish.It was popularized by Patti Page in 1950...
", "I Went to Your Wedding
I Went to Your Wedding
"I Went to Your Wedding" is a popular song written by Jessie Mae Robinson and published in 1952.The song is a report of a wedding, attended by the ex-lover of one of the parties being married, who obviously is still in love with the person it is addressed to...
", and "(How Much Is That) Doggie in the Window
(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?
" That Doggie in the Window?" is a popular novelty song written by Bob Merrill and Ingrid Reuterskiöld in 1952. The best-known version of the song was recorded by Patti Page on December 18, 1952 and released by Mercury Records as catalog number 70070, with the flip side being "My Jealous Eyes". It...
".
Unlike most pop music singers, Page blended the styles of country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
into many of her most popular songs. By doing this, many of Page's singles also made the Billboard Country Chart
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
. Towards the 1970s, Page shifted her career towards country music, and she began charting on the country charts, up until 1982. Page is one of the few vocalists who have made the country charts in five separate decades.
When rock & roll music became popular during the second half of the 1950s, traditional pop music was becoming less popular. Page was one of the few traditional pop music singers who was able to sustain her success, continuing to have major hits into the mid-1960s with "Old Cape Cod
Old Cape Cod
"Old Cape Cod" is a song, written by Claire Rothrock, Milton Yakus, and Allan Jeffrey, and published in 1957.The recording by Patti Page was released by Mercury Records as catalog number 71101; flip side "Wondering." It first reached the Billboard magazine charts on June 3, 1957...
", "Allegheny Moon
Allegheny Moon
Allegheny Moon is a popular song written by Al Hoffman and Dick Manning and published in 1956.The song is best known in a 1956 recording by Patti Page. This recording was released by Mercury Records as catalog number 70878, with the flip side The Strangest Romance. It first reached the Billboard...
", "A Poor Man's Roses (Or a Rich Man's Gold)
A Poor Man's Roses (or a Rich Man's Gold)
"A Poor Man's Roses " is a popular song, popularized by Patti Page and also by Patsy Cline in 1957 and again in 1981. The song was written by Bob Hilliard and Milton De Lugg ....
", and "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte
Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte (song)
"Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte" is a popular song with music by Frank De Vol and lyrics by Mack David, introduced in the 1964 movie of the same name.The song was recorded by Patti Page and became one of her last top-10 hits, reaching #8 on the charts....
".
In 1997, Patti Page was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame
Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame
The Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, located in Muskogee, Oklahoma, honors Oklahoma musicians for their lifetime achievements in music. The induction ceremony and concert is held each year in Muskogee...
. In 2007 Patti Page was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
Early life
Page was born Clara Ann Fowler on November 8, 1927, in Claremore, OklahomaClaremore, Oklahoma
Claremore is a city and the county seat of Rogers County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 18,581 at the 2010 census, a 17.1 percent increase from 15,873 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area and home to Rogers State University...
, (although some sources give Muskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee is a city in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the county seat of Muskogee County, and home to Bacone College. The population was 38,310 at the 2000 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in Oklahoma....
). She was born into a large and poor family. Her father worked on the MKT railroad
Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
The Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad was incorporated May 23, 1870. In its earliest days the MKT was commonly referred to as "the K-T", which was its stock exchange symbol; this common designation soon evolved into "the Katy"....
, while her mother and older sisters picked cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
. As she related on television many years later, the family went without electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
, and therefore she could not read after dark. She attended Daniel Webster High School
Webster High School (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
Daniel Webster High School is a high school in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is part of the Tulsa Public Schools, and is a public school for students from grades 9 through 12. The school opened in 1938 in the West Tulsa section of the city, and is housed in a PWA-style Art Deco building designed by...
in Tulsa, from which she graduated in 1945.
Fowler became a featured singer on a 15-minute radio program on radio station KTUL
KTUL
KTUL, virtual channel 8, is the ABC-affiliated television station in Tulsa, Oklahoma, owned by Allbritton Communications Company. KTUL broadcasts from its studios on Lookout Mountain in west Tulsa...
, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, at age 18. The program was sponsored by the "Page Milk Company." On the air, Fowler was dubbed "Patti Page," after the Page Milk Company. In 1946, Jack Rael, a saxophone player and band manager, came to Tulsa to do a one-night show. Rael heard Page on the radio and liked her voice. Rael asked her to join the band he managed, the "Jimmy Joy Band." Rael would later become Page's personal manager, after leaving the band.
Page toured with the "Jimmy Joy Band" throughout the country in the mid-1940s. The band eventually ended up in Chicago, Illinois, in 1947. In Chicago, Page ate with a small group led by popular orchestra leader, Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
. This helped Page gain her first recording contract with Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
the same year. Page became Mercury Records' "girl singer."
Pop success: 1948 – 1949
Page recorded her first hit single in 1947 titled "ConfessConfess (song)
Confess is a popular song written by Bennie Benjamin and George David Weiss.The song figures in the early careers of two important female singers:...
," during a strike meaning background singers were not available to provide harmony vocals for the song. Instead, Page and the label decided to overdub her vocals on the song, in harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
. Mitch Miller
Mitch Miller
Mitchell William "Mitch" Miller was an American musician, singer, conductor, record producer, A&R man and record company executive...
, who produced for Mercury Records, was able to overdub Page's voice, due to his well-known use of technology. Thus, Page became the first pop artist to overdub her vocals on a song. This idea would later be used on Page's biggest hit singles in the 1950s. In 1948, "Confess" became a Top 15 hit on Billboard magazine, peaking at #12 on the "Best-Sellers" chart, becoming her first major hit on the pop chart. Page followed the single with four more in 1948-1949, only one of which was a Top 20 hit, "So in Love
So in Love
"So in Love" is a popular song, written by Cole Porter, from his musical Kiss Me, Kate, based on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. It was sung in the show by Patricia Morison, reprised by Alfred Drake and further popularized by Patti Page in 1949.The Page recording was issued by Mercury Records...
" (1949). Page also had a Top 15 hit on the Billboard magazine country chart in 1949 with "Money, Marbles, and Chalk
Money, Marbles, and Chalk
"Money, Marbles, and Chalk" is a popular song, written by Garner "Pop" Eckler in 1949. Eckler also recorded the song, but the biggest-selling version was recorded by Patti Page in 1949, and issued by Mercury Records as catalog number 5251. It entered the Billboard chart on April 23, 1949, at #27,...
."
In 1950, Page had her first million-selling single "With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming
With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming
"With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming" is a popular song.It was written by Harry Revel and Mack Gordon , and published in 1934.The song was introduced by Jack Oakie and Dorothy Dell in the movie Shoot the Works....
," another song where she harmonized her vocals. Because she was overdubbing her vocals, Page's name would be listed on the Pop charts as a group name. According to one early-1950s' chart, Page was titled as "The Patti Page Quartet," among others. Towards the middle of 1950, Page's single, "All My Love (Bolero)
All My Love (Bolero)
"All My Love " is a popular song. The music was written by Paul Durand, based on Maurice Ravel's Boléro. French lyrics were written by Henri Contet, the English lyrics by Mitchell Parish.It was popularized by Patti Page in 1950...
" peaked at #1 on Billboard magazine, becoming her first #1 hit, spending five weeks there. That same year, she also had her first Top 10 hit with "I Don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine
I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine
"I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine" is a popular song, written by Mack David.The most popular version was done by Patti Page in 1950. The Page recording was issued by Mercury Records as catalog number 5396, and first reached the Billboard chart on May 20, 1950, lasting 9 weeks and peaking at #8...
," as well as the Top 25 single, "Back in Your Own Backyard
Back in Your Own Backyard
"Back in Your Own Backyard" is a popular song. Officially the credits show it as written by Al Jolson, Billy Rose, and Dave Dreyer; in fact, Billy Rose was exclusively a lyricist , Dreyer a composer, and Al Jolson a performer who was often given credits so he could earn some more money, so the...
."
"Tennessee Waltz": 1950
Towards the end of 1950, Page's version of "Tennessee Waltz" became her second #1 hit, and her most-popular and biggest-selling single."Tennessee Waltz" was originally recorded by country music band Pee Wee King & His Golden West Cowboys
Pee Wee King
Julius Frank Anthony Kuczynski , known professionally as Pee Wee King, was an American country music songwriter and recording artist best known for co-writing "The Tennessee Waltz"....
in 1947, becoming a major hit on the country charts for them in 1948. It also became a major country hit for country star Cowboy Copas
Cowboy Copas
Lloyd Estel Copas , known by his stage name Cowboy Copas, was an American country music singer popular from the 1940s until his death in the 1963 plane crash that also killed country stars Patsy Cline and Hawkshaw Hawkins. He was a member of the Grand Ole Opry.-Biography:Copas was born in 1913 in...
around the same time. Page was introduced to the song by Jerry Wexler, who suggested she cover a recent R&B version by the Erskine Hawkins
Erskine Hawkins
Erskine Ramsay Hawkins was an American trumpet player and big band leader from Birmingham, Alabama, dubbed "The 20th Century Gabriel". He is most remembered for composing the jazz standard "Tuxedo Junction" with saxophonist and arranger Bill Johnson...
orchestra. Page liked the song and she eventually recorded and released it as a single.
The song spent 13 weeks at #1 between 1950 and 1951.
"Tennessee Waltz" also became Page's second single to reach the country chart, becoming her biggest hit there, reaching #2.
The song would later become one of the best-selling records of the time, selling seven million copies in the early '50s, which prompted various cover versions of the song to appear on the charts during the year.
"Tennessee Waltz" has also represented the biggest commercial success for the overdubbing technique to date.
Today, the song has come close to selling fifteen million copies. It also became the last song to sell one million copies of sheet music, due to the increasing popularity of recorded music. It was featured in the 1983 film The Right Stuff.
Breakthrough: 1951 – 1965
In 1951, Page released the follow-up single to "Tennessee Waltz" called "Would I Love You (Love You, Love You)Would I Love You (Love You, Love You)
"Would I Love You " is a popular song with music by Harold Spina and lyrics by Bob Russell. It was published in 1950.It was popularized by Patti Page in a recording made on January 2, 1951. The recording was issued by Mercury Records as catalog number 5571, and first reached the Billboard chart on...
," which was a Top 5 hit, and also sold a million copies. The next single, "Mockin' Bird Hill
Mockin' Bird Hill
Mockin' Bird Hill is a 3/4 song was written by Vaughn Horton and published in 1951. It was popularized by Patti Page and by Les Paul and Mary Ford in 1951, and for both of them following on to their big hit of "The Tennessee Waltz" the previous year...
," (a cover of the version by Les Paul
Les Paul
Lester William Polsfuss —known as Les Paul—was an American jazz and country guitarist, songwriter and inventor. He was a pioneer in the development of the solid-body electric guitar which made the sound of rock and roll possible. He is credited with many recording innovations...
and Mary Ford
Mary Ford
Mary Ford , born Iris Colleen Summers, was an American vocalist and guitarist, comprising half of the husband-and-wife musical team Les Paul and Mary Ford. Between 1950 and 1954, the couple had 16 top-ten hits...
was another major hit that year) was her fourth single that sold a million copies. Page had three additional Top 10 hits on Billboard magazine in 1951, starting with "Mister and Mississippi
Mister and Mississippi
"Mister and Mississippi" is a popular song, written by Irving Gordon. It was published in 1951. The song was popularized by Patti Page. It was also recorded by Rex Allen, Dennis Day and Johnny Desmond....
," which peaked at #8, "And So to Sleep Again
And So to Sleep Again
"And So to Sleep Again" is a popular song, written in 1951 by Joe Marsala and Sunny Skylar.It was popularized by Patti Page in 1951.The Page recording was issued by Mercury Records as catalog number 5706, and first reached the Billboard chart on September 22, 1951, lasting 16 weeks and peaking at #4...
", and "Detour
Detour (song)
"Detour " is a Western swing ballad written by Paul Westmoreland in 1945. The original version was by Jimmy Walker with Paul Westmoreland and His Pecos River Boys, issued around the beginning of November 1945....
," which had previously been recorded and made famous by Foy Willing
Foy Willing
Foy Willing was a singer, songwriter, musician, and bandleader who performed Western music and appeared in Western movies. He formed the Western band Riders Of The Purple Sage.-Early years:...
and Elton Britt
Elton Britt
Elton Britt , born James Elton Baker, was a country music guitarist and singer-songwriter.-Biography:Elton Britt was born in Searcy County, Arkansas...
. Page's version became the most-popular and would become Page's seventh million-selling single.
She also released her first studio album in 1951 titled, Folk Song Favorites
Folk Song Favorites
Folk Song Favorites was a Patti Page album, issued by Mercury Records as a 10" long-playing record, as catalog number MG-25101....
, covers of Page's favorite folk songs. In 1952, Page had a third #1 hit with "I Went to Your Wedding
I Went to Your Wedding
"I Went to Your Wedding" is a popular song written by Jessie Mae Robinson and published in 1952.The song is a report of a wedding, attended by the ex-lover of one of the parties being married, who obviously is still in love with the person it is addressed to...
," which spent two months at the top spot. Recorded in a country ballad style, the song was the flip-side of one of her other Top 10 hits that year, "You Belong to Me
You Belong to Me (1952 song)
"You Belong to Me" is a pop music ballad from the 1950s. The singer reminds his/her lover that, whatever exotic locales and sights he/she experiences, "you belong to me." It is credited to three writers: Pee Wee King, Chilton Price, and Redd Stewart...
." "I Went to Your Wedding" became more successful, and the single became Page's eighth million-selling single in the United States (ironically, it displaced Jo Stafford
Jo Stafford
Jo Elizabeth Stafford was an American singer of traditional pop music and jazz standards and occasional actress whose career ran from the late 1930s to the early 1960s...
's version of "You Belong to Me" at #1 on Billboard's Best Seller chart).
She had continued success that year, with three additional songs in the Top 10 with "Come What May
Come What May (1952 song)
"Come What May" is a popular song, with lyrics by Allen Schiller and music by Al Sanchez.It was popularized by Patti Page in 1952.The Page recording was issued by Mercury Records as catalog number 5772 , and first reached the Billboard chart on February 9, 1952, lasting 13 weeks and peaking at #9....
," "Once In a While
Once in a While
"Once in a While" is a popular song, written by Michael Edwards with lyrics by Bud Green. The song was published in 1937.The song is a much-recorded standard. Tommy Dorsey's recording in 1937 went to number one in the United States...
," and "Why Don't You Believe Me" (the most popular version was recorded by Joni James
Joni James
Joni James is an American singer of traditional pop music and jazz standards.-Biography:...
).
In 1953, a novelty tune, "(How Much Is That) Doggie In the Window" became Page's fourth #1 hit, selling over a million copies, and staying on the best-sellers chart for five months. The song included a dog barking in the recording, which helped make the song popular and one of her best-known and signature songs.
The song was written by novelty tune specialist, Bob Merrill
Bob Merrill
Bob Merrill was an American songwriter, theatrical composer, lyricist, and screenwriter.Merrill was born Henry Merrill Levan in Atlantic City, New Jersey and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Following a stint with the Army during World War II, he moved to Hollywood, where he worked as a...
. It was originally recorded by Page for a children's album that year.
She had a series of Top 20 hits that year. A final single that year reached the Top 5 titled "Changing Partners
Changing Partners
Not to be confused with the song of the same name by Irving Berlin."Changing Partners" is a pop song with music by Larry Coleman and lyrics by Joe Darion. It was published in 1953.The best-known recording was made by Patti Page...
," which peaked at #3 and stayed on the charts for five months. The song was also recorded in a country melody, like many of Page's hits at the time.
Into 1954, Page had further hits, including "Cross Over the Bridge
Cross Over the Bridge
"Cross Over the Bridge" is a popular song written by Bennie Benjamin and George David Weiss and published in 1945.The best-selling version of the song was recorded by Patti Page in 1954...
," which also over-dubbed Page's vocals and became a major hit, peaking at #2, nearly reaching the top spot. Other Top 10 hits by Page that year included, "Steam Heat
Steam Heat
"Steam Heat" is a show tune from the 1954 musical The Pajama Game, written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross.The best-known recording was done by Patti Page...
" (from the Broadway musical The Pajama Game
The Pajama Game
The Pajama Game is a musical based on the novel 7½ Cents by Richard Bissell. It features a score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story deals with labor troubles in a pajama factory, where worker demands for a seven-and-a-half cents raise are going unheeded...
) and "Let Me Go Lover" (the best known version of the latter recorded by Joan Weber
Joan Weber
Joan Weber was an American popular music singer.Weber was raised in Paulsboro, New Jersey and married to a young bandleader...
).
In 1955 Page had one charting single with "Croce di Oro," due to the increasing popularity of Rock & Roll music.
Unlike most traditional pop music singers at the time, Page was able to maintain her success in the late-50s (although not as successful as the early-50s), having three major hits in 1956, including the #2 hit "Allegheny Moon
Allegheny Moon
Allegheny Moon is a popular song written by Al Hoffman and Dick Manning and published in 1956.The song is best known in a 1956 recording by Patti Page. This recording was released by Mercury Records as catalog number 70878, with the flip side The Strangest Romance. It first reached the Billboard...
." In 1957 she had other major hits with "A Poor Man's Roses (Or a Rich Man's Gold)
A Poor Man's Roses (or a Rich Man's Gold)
"A Poor Man's Roses " is a popular song, popularized by Patti Page and also by Patsy Cline in 1957 and again in 1981. The song was written by Bob Hilliard and Milton De Lugg ....
" (recorded the same year by Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline , born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Gore, Virginia, was an American country music singer who enjoyed pop music crossover success during the era of the Nashville sound in the early 1960s...
) and the Top 5 hit, "Old Cape Cod
Old Cape Cod
"Old Cape Cod" is a song, written by Claire Rothrock, Milton Yakus, and Allan Jeffrey, and published in 1957.The recording by Patti Page was released by Mercury Records as catalog number 71101; flip side "Wondering." It first reached the Billboard magazine charts on June 3, 1957...
."
In 1956 Vic Schoen
Vic Schoen
Victor "Vic" Schoen was an American bandleader, arranger, and composer whose career spanned from the 1930s until his death in 2000...
became the musical director for Patti Page producing a long string of hits that included Mama From the Train
Mama from the Train
"Mama From the Train" — also known as Mama From the Train — is a popular song. written by Irving Gordon and published in 1956....
, Allegheny Moon
Allegheny Moon
Allegheny Moon is a popular song written by Al Hoffman and Dick Manning and published in 1956.The song is best known in a 1956 recording by Patti Page. This recording was released by Mercury Records as catalog number 70878, with the flip side The Strangest Romance. It first reached the Billboard...
, Old Cape Cod
Old Cape Cod
"Old Cape Cod" is a song, written by Claire Rothrock, Milton Yakus, and Allan Jeffrey, and published in 1957.The recording by Patti Page was released by Mercury Records as catalog number 71101; flip side "Wondering." It first reached the Billboard magazine charts on June 3, 1957...
, Belonging To Someone
Belonging to Someone
"Belonging to Someone" is a popular song, written by Al Hoffman and Dick Manning and published in 1958.It was popularized by Patti Page in 1958. The Page recording was released by Mercury Records as catalog number 71247. It first reached the Billboard magazine charts on February 10, 1958...
, and Left Right Out of Your Heart
Left Right out of Your Heart
"Left Right Out Of Your Heart" is a popular song.The music was written by Mort Garson, the lyrics by Earl Shuman. The song was published in 1958....
. Page and Schoen’s most challenging project was a new recording of Gordon Jenkins
Gordon Jenkins
Gordon Hill Jenkins was an American arranger, composer and pianist who was an influential figure in popular music in the 1940s and 1950s, renowned for his lush string arrangements...
narrative tone poem Manhattan Tower (recorded September 1956). The album was a tremendous success, both artistically and commercially, reaching No. 18 on the Billboard LP chart, the highest ranking of any album she ever made. Vic Schoen’s arrangements were far more lively and jazzy than the original Jenkins
Gordon Jenkins
Gordon Hill Jenkins was an American arranger, composer and pianist who was an influential figure in popular music in the 1940s and 1950s, renowned for his lush string arrangements...
arrangements. Schoen recalled, “Patti was an alto, but I pushed her to reach notes higher than she had sung before for this album. We always enjoyed working together.” Page and Schoen kept in touch and worked together all the way up until 1999.
During the 1950s, Page regularly appeared on a series of network television shows and programs, including The Dean Martin Show
The Dean Martin Show
The Dean Martin Show is a TV variety-comedy series that ran from 1965 to 1974 for 264 episodes. It was broadcast by NBC and hosted by crooner Dean Martin...
, The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
, and The Steve Allen Show
The Steve Allen Show
The Steve Allen Show is an American variety show hosted by Steve Allen from June 1956 to June 1960 on NBC, from September 1961 to December 1961 on ABC, and in first-run syndication from 1962 to 1964....
. This eventually led to Page acquiring some television specials of her own during the 1950s. Page would later have her own series, beginning with Scott Music Hall on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in the 1952-53 season, and a syndicated series for Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
in 1955 titled The Patti Page Show. However, the show only lasted one season, as did The Big Record on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
(1957–58) and ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's The Patti Page Olds Show (1958–59). Page also acted in fims during this time, given a role on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
show, Playhouse 90
Playhouse 90
Playhouse 90 is an American television anthology series that was telecast on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. It originated from CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California...
. Page made her film debut in the 60s, with the 1960 film, Elmer Gantry
Elmer Gantry
Elmer Gantry is a satirical novel written by Sinclair Lewis in 1926 and published by Harcourt in March 1927.-Background:Lewis did research for the novel by observing the work of various preachers in Kansas City in his so-called "Sunday School" meetings on Wednesdays. He first worked with William L...
.
Page also recorded the theme song for the film, Boys Night Out
Boys Night Out
Boys Night Out may refer to:* Boys Night Out , a Canadian emo/post-hardcore band** Boys Night Out , their self-titled album* Boys' Night Out , a 1962 comedy...
, in which Page also had a role, playing Joanne McIllenny.
In the early 1960s, Page's success began to decrease,
having no major hits up until 1961's "You'll Answer to Me" and "Mom and Dad's Waltz." Page had her last major hit on the Billboard Pop Chart
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
in 1965 with "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte
Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte (song)
"Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte" is a popular song with music by Frank De Vol and lyrics by Mack David, introduced in the 1964 movie of the same name.The song was recorded by Patti Page and became one of her last top-10 hits, reaching #8 on the charts....
," from the film of the same name
starring Bette Davis
Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional...
and Olivia De Havilland
Olivia de Havilland
Olivia Mary de Havilland is a British American film and stage actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1946 and 1949. She is the elder sister of actress Joan Fontaine. The sisters are among the last surviving leading ladies from Hollywood of the 1930s.-Early life:Olivia de Havilland...
, which peaked at #8, becoming her last top 10 hit (and her first since 1957).
Adult contemporary & country music: 1966 – 1982
Before releasing "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte," Page signed with Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, where she stayed towards the end of the decade. She released a few studio albums for the Columbia label in the 60s. Up until 1970, her singles began to chart on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
chart. Many of these singles became major hits, peaking in the Top 20, including cover versions of "You Can't Be True, Dear
You Can't Be True, Dear
"You Can't Be True, Dear" is a popular song.It was originally written as a German language song, "Du Kannst Nicht Treu Sein," by composer Hans Otten and lyricist Gerhard Ebeler...
," "Gentle On My Mind" and "Little Green Apples
Little Green Apples
"Little Green Apples" is a song written by Bobby Russell which was most successful as a 1968 hit single by O. C. Smith.According to Buzz Cason, who partnered Bobby Russell in the Nashville-based Rising Sons music publishing firm, Russell wrote both the songs "Honey" and "Little Green Apples" as "an...
" (the latter being her last pop chart entry). Page, who is a fan of country music, has recorded cover versions of many country songs throughout the years. Some of these songs were recorded under Columbia and were released as Adult Contemporary singles, including David Houston's
David Houston (singer)
Charles David Houston was an American country music singer. His peak in popularity came between the mid-1960s through the early 1970s.-Biography:...
"Almost Persuaded
Almost Persuaded
"Almost Persuaded" is a song written by Glenn Sutton and Muscle Shoals songwriter Billy Sherrill and first recorded by David Houston in 1966. It is not to be confused with the Christian hymn of the same name....
" and Tammy Wynette
Tammy Wynette
Virginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette , was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of the genre's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists....
's "Stand by Your Man
Stand By Your Man
"Stand by Your Man" is a song co-written by Tammy Wynette and Billy Sherrill and originally recorded by Tammy Wynette, released as a single in September 1968 in the USA...
." Page left Columbia at the end of the 60s.
In 1970, Page returned to Mercury Records and shifted her career towards country music. In 1973, she returned to working with her former record producer, Shelby Singleton
Shelby Singleton
Shelby Singleton was an American record producer and record label owner.-Early Life:...
.
Under Mercury, Columbia, and Epic in the 70s, Page recorded a series of country singles, beginning with 1970's "I Wish I Had a Mommy Like You," which became a Top 25 hit, followed by "Give Him Love," with similar success. In 1971, she released a country music studio album, I'd Rather Be Sorry, for Mercury records. In the early 70s, she had additional charted hits; her most successful was in 1973, a duet with country singer Tom T. Hall
Tom T. Hall
Thomas "Tom T." Hall is an American country music singer-songwriter. He has written 11 #1 hit songs, with 26 more that reached the Top 10, including the pop crossover hit "I Love", which reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100...
titled, "Hello, We're Lonely" which was a Top 20 hit, reaching #14 on the Bilboard Country Chart
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
.
Also, in 1973, Page moved back to Columbia Records, recording for Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
(a subsidiary). In 1974 and 1975, she released singles for Avco records again,
with country singles "I May Not Be Lovin' You" and "Less Than the Song," both of which were minor country hits. After a five-year hiatus, she recorded for Plantation Records
Plantation Records
Plantation Records was a country music record label started by Shelby Singleton. The label is best known for the Jeannie C. Riley 45rpm single, "Harper Valley P.T.A." which was a number one pop record in 1968....
in 1980. In the early 80s, she also performed with major symphony orchestras in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, and Mexico City, Mexico
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
.
She had a Top 40 hit with the Plantation label in 1981 titled "No Aces," followed by a series of minor country hits, including her last-charting single, "My Man Friday," which reached #80.
Later career: 1983 – present
In 1986 Page and arranger Vic Schoen reunited for a stage show in Las VegasLas Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
.
In 1988, Page appeared in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to perform at the Ballroom, making it the first time she performed in New York in nearly twenty years. She received positive reviews from music critics.
In the 1990s, Page founded her own record label, C.A.F. Records, which released various albums, including a 2003 children's album.
In the early '90s, Page moved west to San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, and continued to perform live shows at venues across the country.
In 1998, Page recorded her first live album. It was performed at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
in New York and titled, Live at Carnegie Hall: The 50th Anniversary Concert
Live at Carnegie Hall: The 50th Anniversary Concert
-Track listing:# "Person Who Used to Be Me/A Brand New Me" – 6:45# "With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming" – 2:47# "It's a Wonderful World" – 1:35...
. The album won Page a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
the following year for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance which, despite her prolific career, was her first Grammy.
In 2000, she released a new album, Brand New Tennessee Waltz, which consisted of new music. Harmony vocals were provided by popular country stars, including Suzy Bogguss
Suzy Bogguss
Susan Kay "Suzy" Bogguss is an American country music singer. In the 1980s and 90s she released one platinum and three gold albums and charted six top ten singles, winning the Academy of Country Music's award for Top New Female Vocalist and the Country Music Association's Horizon Award.After...
, Alison Krauss
Alison Krauss
Alison Maria Krauss is an American bluegrass-country singer, songwriter and fiddler. She entered the music industry at an early age, winning local contests by the age of ten and recording for the first time at fourteen. She signed with Rounder Records in 1985 and released her first solo album in...
, Kathy Mattea
Kathy Mattea
Kathleen Alice "Kathy" Mattea is an American country music and bluegrass performer who often brings folk, Celtic and traditional country sounds to her music. Active since 1983 as a recording artist, she has recorded seventeen albums and has charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot...
, and Trisha Yearwood
Trisha Yearwood
Patricia Lynn Yearwood, professionally known as Trisha Yearwood , is an American country music artist. She is best known for her ballads about vulnerable young women from a female perspective that have been described by some music critics as "strong" and "confident."Trisha Yearwood signed with MCA...
. The album was promoted at the Ryman Auditorium
Ryman Auditorium
The Ryman Auditorium is a 2,362-seat live performance venue, located at 115 5th Avenue North, in Nashville, Tennessee and is best known as the historic home of the Grand Ole Opry....
in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
in 2000.
On October 4, 2001, Bob Baines, the mayor of Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
declared the day "Patti Page Day" in the town. Miss Page was in Manchester to perform a sold-out concert at the Palace Theatre to benefit Merrimack Valley Assistance Program.
In 1998, a sample of Patti Page's recording of "Old Cape Cod
Old Cape Cod
"Old Cape Cod" is a song, written by Claire Rothrock, Milton Yakus, and Allan Jeffrey, and published in 1957.The recording by Patti Page was released by Mercury Records as catalog number 71101; flip side "Wondering." It first reached the Billboard magazine charts on June 3, 1957...
" formed the basis of Groove Armada
Groove Armada
Groove Armada is an English electronic music duo from London, England comprising Andy Cato and Tom Findlay. They are perhaps best known for their singles "I See You Baby" and "Superstylin'"...
's 1998 UK hit "At the River
At the River
"At the River" is a song by English electronica duo Groove Armada. It was released as a single in 1997 on 7" vinyl, limited to 500 copies. The song was later added to the track listing of their second album, Vertigo, released in April 1999. On 26 July 1999, the single was re-released on 12" and CD...
". The lines "If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air, / Quaint little villages here and there..." sung in Page's multi-tracked close-harmony, are repeated over and over, with the addition of synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
bass, slowed-down drums and a bluesy trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
solo to produce a chill-out track. The success of this track exposed Page's music to a younger audience.
In 1999, Vic Schoen reunited with Page to record a CD for a Chinese label.
In 2005, she performed a series of engagements at a theatre in Branson, Missouri
Branson, Missouri
Branson is a city in Taney County in the U.S. state of Missouri. It was named after Reuben Branson, postmaster and operator of a general store in the area in the 1880s....
, starting on September 12.
Until recently, Page was a host of a weekly Sunday program on the "Music of Your Life
Music of Your Life
Music of Your Life is a satellite-delivered radio network featuring the Adult Standards music format. Created by record executive and jingle writer Al Ham, and now under the direction of Marc Angell, Music of Your Life has more than 50 AM, FM and HD-2 radio station affiliates, and has been in...
" radio network
Radio network
There are two types of radio networks currently in use around the world: the one-to-many broadcast type commonly used for public information and mass media entertainment; and the two-way type used more commonly for public safety and public services such as police, fire, taxicabs, and delivery...
. She and Jack White
Jack White (musician)
Jack White , often credited as Jack White III, is an American musician, songwriter, record producer and occasional actor...
of The White Stripes
The White Stripes
The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...
were interviewed in January 2008, after the White Stripes recorded Page's early '50s hit, "Conquest
Conquest (song)
"Conquest" is a song written by Corky Robbins and popularized in the 1950s by Patti Page. "Conquest" was also covered by The White Stripes on their 2007 album Icky Thump, which features Regulo Aldama on trumpet...
" on their 2007 studio album, Icky Thump
Icky Thump
Icky Thump is the sixth and final studio album by US alternative rock band The White Stripes. It was released June 15, 2007 in Germany, June 18, 2007 in the rest of Europe, and June 19, 2007 in the rest of the world. It was the band's first album on Warner Bros...
. Page and White were put together on the phone during the interview, talking to each other about their views on "Conquest."
In 2007, Page was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
Now in her mid-80s, Page continues to tour, performing 50 select concerts a year across the United States and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Style
During the time of Page's greatest popularity (the late '40s and '50s), most of her traditional pop music counterparts included jazz melodies into their songs. Page also incorporated jazz into some of her songs; however on most of her recordings, Page added a country musicCountry music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
arrangement.
During the '50s, Mercury Records was controlled by Mitch Miller
Mitch Miller
Mitchell William "Mitch" Miller was an American musician, singer, conductor, record producer, A&R man and record company executive...
, who produced most of Page's music. Miller found that the simple-structured melodies and storylines in country music songs could be adapted to the pop music market. Page, who was born in Oklahoma, felt comfortable using this idea. Many of Page's most successful hits featured a country music arrangement, including her signature song, "Tennessee Waltz," as well as "I Went to Your Wedding" and "Changing Partners." Some of these singles charted on the Billboard Country Chart during the '40s, '50s, and early '60s for this reason.
Many other artists were introduced to Page's style and incorporated the same country arrangement into many of their songs, including The Andrews Sisters
The Andrews Sisters
The Andrews Sisters were a highly successful close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia Andrews , soprano Maxene Angelyn Andrews , and mezzo-soprano Patricia Marie "Patty" Andrews...
and Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
, who together had a #1 hit on the country charts in the late '40s with "Pistol Packin' Mama."
Personal life
In his autobiography, Lucky Me, published in 2011, former major league baseball star and front-office executive Eddie Robinson discloses that he dated Page during the period before her first marriage.Page has been married three times. She married University of Wisconsin student Jack Skiba in May 1948 and moved with him to New York, but asked for and received a no-fault divorce in Wisconsin within a year. Her second husband was Charles O'Curran, a choreographer, whom she married in 1956. Together, Page and O'Curran adopted two children: a son, Danny, and a daughter, Kathleen. They divorced in 1972.
Page married her third husband, Jerry Filiciotto, in 1990. Filiciotto died on April 18, 2009. They ran a maple syrup
Maple syrup
Maple syrup is a syrup usually made from the xylem sap of sugar maple, red maple, or black maple trees, although it can also be made from other maple species such as the bigleaf maple. In cold climates, these trees store starch in their trunks and roots before the winter; the starch is then...
business in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
and resided in Solana Beach, California
Solana Beach, California
Solana Beach is a city in San Diego County, California. The population was 12,867 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Solana Beach is located at ....
.
One of legendary Hollywood arranger Vic Schoen’s favorite singers for whom he arranged songs was Patti Page. Schoen once recalled, "She was one of the nicest and most accommodating singers I've ever worked with." She and Schoen remained close friends and spoke regularly until his death in 2000.
Discography
(For a more complete collection, see List of songs recorded by Patti Page.)
Television appearances
- What's My Line?What's My Line?What's My Line? is a panel game show which originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, with several international versions and subsequent U.S. revivals. The game tasked celebrity panelists with questioning contestants in order to determine their occupations....
(CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, September 22, 1955) (Episode # 381) (Season 9, Ep 4) Mystery Guest - Appointment with AdventureAppointment with AdventureAppointment with Adventure is a half-hour adventure/dramatic anthology television series broadcast live on CBS from 1955-1956. The program has no host. It aired at 10 p.m...
("Paris Venture", CBS, February 26, 1956)
Filmography
- Elmer GantryElmer Gantry (film)Elmer Gantry is a 1960 drama film about a con man and a female evangelist selling religion to small town America. Adapted by director Richard Brooks, the film is based on the 1927 novel of the same name by Sinclair Lewis and stars Burt Lancaster and Jean Simmons.Lancaster won an Academy Award for...
(1960) - Dondi (1960)
- Boys' Night OutBoys' Night Out (film)Boys' Night Out is an American comedy film released in 1962, starring Kim Novak, James Garner, and Tony Randall, and directed by Michael Gordon...
(1962) - 2004: The Patti Page Video Songbook
- 2004: Patti Page - Sings the Hits
- 2005: In Concert Series: Patti Page