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Patti Page

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Patti Page
Page in the 1950s
Page in the 1950s
Background information
Birth nameClara Ann Fowler
Born(1927-11-08)November 8, 1927
Claremore, Oklahoma,U.S.
DiedJanuary 1, 2013(2013-01-01)(aged 85)
Encinitas, California,U.S.
GenresTraditional pop,country
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • actress
Instrument(s)Contraltovocals
Years active1946–2012
LabelsMercury,Columbia,Epic,Avco,Plantation
Websitemisspattipage.com
Patti Page
EducationWebster High School
Known forTennessee Waltz
All My Love (Bolero)
I Went to Your Wedding
(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?
Old Cape Cod
Allegheny Moon

Clara Ann Fowler(November 8, 1927 – January 1, 2013), better known by her stage namePatti Page,was an American singer. Primarily known forpopandcountrymusic, she was the top-charting female vocalist and best-selling female artist of the 1950s,[1]selling over 100 million records during a six-decade-long career.[2]She was often introduced as "the Singin' Rage, Miss Patti Page". New YorkWNEWdisc-jockeyWilliam B. Williamsintroduced her as "A Page in my life called Patti".

Page signed withMercury Recordsin 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 eventually had 14 additional million-selling singles between 1950 and 1965.

Page's signature song, "Tennessee Waltz",was one of the biggest-selling singles of the 20th century, and is recognized today as one of the official songs of the state of Tennessee. It spent 13 weeks atop theBillboard's best-sellers list in 1950/51. Page had three additional number-one hit singles between 1950 and 1953, "All My Love (Bolero)","I Went to Your Wedding",and"(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?".

Unlike most other pop singers, Page blendedcountry musicstyles into many of her songs. As a result of this crossover appeal, many of Page's singles appeared on theBillboardCountry Chart.In the 1970s, she shifted her style more toward country music and began having even more success on the country charts, ending up as one of the few vocalists to have charted in five separate decades.

With the rise ofrock and rollin the 1950s, mainstream popular music record sales began to decline. Page was among the few pop singers who were able to maintain popularity, continuing to have hits well into the 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 theOklahoma Music Hall of Fame.She was posthumously honored with theLifetime Achievement GrammyAward in 2013.

Early life[edit]

Clara Ann Fowler was born on November 8, 1927, in Claremore, Oklahoma (some sources give Muskogee, Oklahoma)[1]into a large and poor family of 11 children (3 boys and 8 girls).[3][4]Her father, B.A. Fowler, worked on theMKT railroad,while her mother, Margaret, and older sisters picked cotton. As she recalled on television many years later, the family lived without electricity, so she could not read after dark. She was raised inForaker,Hardy, Muskogee, and Avant, Oklahoma,[4][5]before attendingDaniel Webster High Schoolin Tulsa, from which she graduated in 1945.[6]

Fowler started her career as a singer withAl Clauserand his Oklahoma Outlaws at radio stationKTULin Tulsa, Oklahoma. At age 18, she became a featured performer on the station for a 15-minute radio program sponsored by the Page Milk Company.[7]As a nod to the show's sponsor, Fowler was referred to on the air as "Patti Page". In 1946, Jack Rael, a saxophone player and manager of the Jimmy Joy Band, came to Tulsa for a one-night stand. Rael heard Page on the radio, liked her voice, and asked her to join the band. After leaving the band, Rael became Page's personal manager.[8]

Page toured the United States with the Jimmy Joy Band in 1946. The following year the band traveled toChicago,where she sang with a small group led by popular orchestra leaderBenny Goodman.This led to Page getting picked up byMercury Records.[1]She became Mercury's "girl singer".[3]

Career[edit]

Pop success: 1946–1949[edit]

Page cut her first two discs ( "Every So Often/What Every Woman Knows" and "There's A Man In My Life/The First Time I Kissed You" ) with the Eddie Getz and George Barnes Orchestras but they failed to chart.[9]

She found success with her third single ( "Confess" b/w "Twelve O'Clock Flight" ). The arrangement of "Confess" was meant to use a backing chorus, but Mercury would not pay for one since Page had not yet produced a charting single, so if she wanted additional singers she would have to hire them at her own expense. Instead, her manager Jack Rael decided to try an experiment.Bill Putnam,an engineer for Mercury Records, was able to overdub Page's voice by syncing the two master discs together—tape recording was not in use yet and this technique was difficult to pull off.[10][11]Thus, Page became the first pop artist to harmonize her own vocals on a recording. This gimmick got "Confess" to #12 on theBillboard.[1]This technique later was used on Page's biggest hit singles in the 1950s. Page had four more singles chart in 1948–49, with two ( "So In Love" and "With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming" reaching the top 15. Page also had a top 15 hit on theBillboardcountry chart in 1949 with "Money, Marbles, and Chalk".After the experiment of" Confess "worked, Page and Rael got more ambitious and began trying four part overdubs.

In 1950, Page had her first million-selling single "With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming",[12]another song where she harmonized her vocals. Because she was overdubbing her vocals, Page's name had to be listed on the recording credits as a group. According to one early 1950s chart, Page was credited as the Patti Page Quartet. In mid-1950, Page's single "All My Love (Bolero)"became her first #1 on the Billboard[1]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".With this success, Page earned the privilege of releasing her first LP, the self-titled" Patti Page "which opened with" Confess "and included other of her singles from this period. She also released a Christmas album in 1951; this was reissued five years later with updated cover art on a 12" LP with a few new tracks to fill the run time out.

"Tennessee Waltz": 1950[edit]

The success of "Bolero" however was quickly eclipsed by what soon became Page's signature song. "Tennessee Waltz" was written in 1946 by Pee Wee King and Redd Stewart, and was recorded in 1947 byPee Wee Kingand His Golden West Cowboys. Their original version made the country charts in 1948. The song was also a hit forCowboy Copasaround the same time. Page was introduced to the song by record producerJerry Wexler,who suggested that she cover a recent R&B version by theErskine HawkinsOrchestra. Page liked the song, and she recorded and released it as a single.

"Tennessee Waltz" became a blockbuster hit by complete accident—it was the B-side to "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus" which Mercury had intended to promote during the 1950 holiday season. The label intentionally put "Tennessee Waltz" on the disc to avoid drawing attention away from a planned Christmas hit, as they considered the song a throwaway with no hitmaking potential. To everyone's complete surprise, it went on to spend nine weeks at #1 during December 1950-January 1951, while "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus" failed to chart at all and was quickly forgotten. "Tennessee Waltz" also became Page's second single to appear on the country charts, becoming her biggest hit there, reaching number two. The song later became one of the best-selling records of its era, selling 7 million copies in the early 1950s. "Tennessee Waltz" remains the biggest commercial success for the overdubbing technique, pioneered by producerMitch Miller,which enabled Page to harmonize with herself.[11]"Tennessee Waltz" was the last song to sell one million copies of sheet music. The song was covered by several other singers during the next few months includingJo StaffordandLes Paul and Mary Ford.

The song was featured in the 1970 filmZabriskie Pointand in the 1983 filmThe Right Stuff.[13]

Breakthrough: 1951–1965[edit]

Page withFrankie Laine,c. 1950s

In 1951, Page covered "Would I Love You (Love You, Love You)",which had been a hit forDoris Day.Page's version was a top-five hit that sold 1 million copies. The next single, "Mockin' Bird Hill",(a cover of the original byLes PaulandMary Ford) was her fourth million seller. Page had three more top 10 hits onBillboardin 1951, starting with "Mister and Mississippi",which peaked at number eight;"And So to Sleep Again";and"Detour",which had been recorded and made famous bySpade Cooley,Foy Willing,andElton Britt.Page's version was the most popular and became her seventh million-selling single.[13]She also released her first studio album in 1951 titledFolk Song Favorites.

In 1952, Page had a third number-one hit with "I Went to Your Wedding",which spent two months at number one. Recorded in a country ballad style, the song was the B-side of"You Belong to Me",also a top-10 hit." I Went to Your Wedding "was Page's eighth million-selling single in the United States. It displacedJo Stafford's version of "You Belong to Me" at number one onBillboard'sBest Seller chart.[1]She had continued success that year, with three more songs in the top 10, "Come What May","Once in a While",and"Why Don't You Believe Me".

In 1953, the novelty tune "(How Much Is That) Doggie in the Window?" became Page's fourth number-one hit, selling over 1 million copies and staying on the chart for five months. The song included the sound of a dog barking, which made it popular with a younger audience. It became one of her best-loved songs, but in later years would often be lampooned by rock critics and used to ridicule the state of popular music in the 1950s just prior to rock-and-roll.[13]The song was written by novelty-tune specialistBob Merrill.It was recorded by Page for the children's albumArfie Goes to School.It was also a UK hit and British singerLita Rozaperformed a cover version that made the top 10 there.[14]She had a series of top-20 hits that year. "Changing Partners",a final single, reached the top five, peaking at number three, and staying on the charts for five months. The song was also a country melody, like many of Page's hits at the time.[13]

In 1954, Page had more chart hits, including "Cross Over the Bridge",which again overdubbed Page's vocals and peaked at number two. Other top-10 hits by Page that year included"Steam Heat"(from the Broadway musicalThe Pajama Game) and "Let Me Go Lover".[14] In 1955, Page had one chart single: "Croce di Oro".

Unlike most other pop singers of her time, Page was able to maintain success into the rock-and-roll era. She had three hits in 1956, including the number-two "Allegheny Moon".In 1957, she had major hits with"A Poor Man's Roses (or a Rich Man's Gold)"(recorded the same year byPatsy Cline) and the top-five hit "Old Cape Cod".

"Old Cape Cod"
"Old Cape Cod"(1957). Page overdubbed her own vocals, illustrated by the tight harmonies in this sample.
Problems playing this file? Seemedia help.

In 1956,Vic Schoenbecame Patti Page's musical director, producing her on 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 recording ofGordon Jenkinsnarrative-tone poem asManhattan Tower(recorded September 1956). The album was a success both artistically and commercially, reaching number 18 on theBillboardLP chart, the highest ranking of any of her albums. Schoen's arrangements were 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 continued their collaboration for many years, working together until 1999.

During the 1950s, Page made regular TV appearances, includingThe Ed Sullivan Show,The Bob Hope Specials,The Steve Allen Show,andThe Dean Martin Show.This eventually led to Page having television specials of her own. She later had her own series, beginning withScott Music Hallin the 1952–53 season and a syndicated series forOldsmobile[15]in 1955,The Patti Page Show.However, this show only lasted one season, as didThe Big Record(1957–58) andThe Patti Page Olds Show,sponsored by Oldsmobile (1958–59). Page also began an acting career at this time, beginning with a role onPlayhouse 90.Page made her movie debut in 1960 inElmer Gantry.[15]She also recorded the theme song forBoys Night Out,in which she played the part of Joanne McIllenny.[16]In 1959, Page recordedthe title songfrom the musicalThe Sound of MusicforMercury Records[17]on the same day that the musical opened on Broadway. The song on her TV showThe Patti Page Olds Showhelped to promote the Broadway show.[18]

The pop world was becoming less favorable to pre-rock singers by 1960 and it was also a weak time for the "established" ASCAP affiliate record labels such as Columbia, RCA, and Mercury, with indie and regional labels dominating pop during this era, so Page's chart hits dried up.[7]She did not chart again until 1961 with "You'll Answer to Me" and "Mom and Dad's Waltz". Page's last major chart hit was "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte"from thefilm of the same name[15]starringBette DavisandOlivia de Havilland.It peaked at number eight. It was her last top-10 hit (and her first since 1957)[14]and was nominated for a"Best Song" Oscar.She performed it at the 1965 Academy Awards.[19]She also recorded the song in Italian, Spanish, and German for foreign markets.[20]

Adult contemporary and country music: 1966–1982[edit]

Before releasing "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte", Page signed withColumbia Records,where she remained until the end of the decade. She released a few studio albums for Columbia in the 1960s. In 1961, her singles began to chart on theHot Adult Contemporary Trackschart. Many of these singles became 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 last being her final appearance on the Billboard). Page, who as an Oklahoma native was well-acquainted with country music, recorded many country songs over the years. Some of these were recorded for Columbia and were released as adult contemporary singles, includingDavid Houston's"Almost Persuaded"andTammy Wynette's "Stand by Your Man".With Page's viability on the pop charts diminishing as she got older and with a radically changed cultural climate in America during the late 1960s, she decided to focus solely on country recordings. In 1970 she left Columbia and came back to Mercury. In 1973, she returned to working with her former record producerShelby Singleton.[14]

Working for Mercury, Columbia, and Epic in the 1970s, 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", which had similar success. In 1971, she released the country music albumI'd Rather Be Sorryfor Mercury records. In 1973, a duet with country singerTom T. Halltitled "Hello, We're Lonely" was a top-20 hit, reaching number 14 on theBillboardcountry chart.

In 1973, Page returned to Columbia Records' affiliateEpic Records.In 1974 and 1975, she released singles for Avco Records, including "I May Not Be Lovin' You" and a cover ofHoyt Axton's "Less Than The Song", both of which were minor country hits. After a five-year hiatus, she recorded forPlantation Recordsin 1980. She had a top-40 hit with Plantation in 1981 titled "No Aces", followed by a series of minor country hits. In the early 1980s, she performed with major symphony orchestras in Cincinnati and Mexico City. .

Later career: 1983–2012[edit]

In 1986, Page and arranger Vic Schoen reunited for a stage show in Las Vegas.

In 1988, Page appeared at the Ballroom in New York, marking the first time that she had performed there in nearly 20 years. She received positive reviews from music critics.[14]In the 1990s, Page founded her own record label, C.A.F. Records, which released several records, including a 2003 children's album.[15]

In the early 1990s, Page moved to San Diego, California, and continued to perform live shows at venues across the country.

In 1998, the albumLive at Carnegie Hall: The 50th Anniversary Concertwas released. The album won Page a Grammy Award the following year forBest Traditional Pop Vocal Performance,which, despite her prolific career, was her first Grammy.[14]

In 1998, a sample of Patti Page's recording of "Old Cape Cod" formed the basis ofGroove Armada's 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 multitracked close harmony, are repeated over and over, with the addition of synthesizer bass, slowed-down drums, and a bluesy trombone solo to produce achill-outtrack. The success of this track introduced Page's music to another generation of listeners.

In 1999, Vic Schoen reunited with Page to record a CD for a Chinese label.

In 2000, she released the albumBrand New Tennessee Waltz.Harmony vocals were provided by popular country stars, includingSuzy Bogguss,Alison Krauss,Kathy Mattea,andTrisha Yearwood.The album was promoted at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2000.[21]

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 Theater to benefit Merrimack Valley Assistance Program.[22]

In 2004, she appeared on the PBS SpecialMagic Moments: The Best of 50s Popand sang "Tennessee Waltz" and "Old Cape Cod". The DVD includes a backstage interview with Page.

In 2005, she performed a series of engagements at a theatre in Branson, Missouri, starting on September 12.[23]

Until shortly before her death, Page was the host of a weekly Sunday program on theMusic of Your Liferadio network.Jack Whiteofthe White Stripesand she were interviewed in January 2008 after the White Stripes had recorded Page's early 1950s hit "Conquest"on their 2007 studio albumIcky Thump.Page and White were put together on the phone during the interview, talking to each other about their views on "Conquest".[24]

Page sang "Summer Me, Winter Me" forMichel Legrand's 50th-anniversary concert at the MGM Grand, and on the recording, it is evident she had forgotten the words.

Page continued to tour actively until September 2012, when she announced on her web page her retirement from performing for health reasons.[25]

Style[edit]

During the time of Page's greatest popularity (the late 1940s and 1950s), most of her traditional pop music contemporaries included jazz melodies in their songs. Page also incorporated jazz into some of her songs; however, on most of her recordings, Page favored a country music arrangement.

During the late 1940s, when Page recorded for Mercury Records, its topA&Rman wasMitch Miller,who, despite having left Mercury forColumbia Recordsin 1950, produced most of Page's music. Miller found that the simple-structured melodies and story lines in country songs could be adapted to the pop market. Page, who was born in Oklahoma, felt comfortable using this idea.[11]Many of Page's more 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 theBillboardcountry chart during the 1940s, '50s, and early '60s.

Many other artists were influenced by Patti Page, and incorporated country arrangements into their own songs, includingThe Andrews SistersandBing Crosby,who had a number-one hit on the country charts in the late 1940s with "Pistol Packin' Mama".

Personal life[edit]

Page was married three times, first to University of Wisconsin student Jack Skiba in May 1948. They moved to New York, but she asked for and received a no-fault divorce in Wisconsin within a year. Her next marriage was to Charles O'Curran, a choreographer, in 1956. O'Curran had been married to actressBetty Hutton.Page and O'Curran adopted a son, Danny, and a daughter, Kathleen. They divorced in 1972.

Page's last marriage was to Jerry Filiciotto in 1990.[26]The couple owned a maple syrup business named The Farm at Wood Hill in Bath, New Hampshire, and resided in Solana Beach, California.[15][27]Filiciotto died on April 18, 2009.

In his autobiographyLucky Me,published in 2011, former baseball player and front-office executiveEddie Robinsonclaims he dated Page before her second marriage.

Page's longtime collaborator arranger Vic Schoen once recalled, "She was one of the nicest and most accommodating singers I've ever worked with." Schoen and she remained close friends and spoke regularly until his death in 2000.

Death[edit]

Page died on January 1, 2013, at the Seacrest Village Retirement Community in Encinitas, California,[28]at the age of 85;[29]she had been suffering from heart and lung disease. She was buried atEl Camino Memorial Parkin San Diego.[30]

Discography[edit]

Main articles:Patti Page albums discographyandPatti Page singles discography
See also:List of songs recorded by Patti Page

Studio albums

Partial filmography[edit]

Television
Film
  • Elmer Gantry(1960) as Sister Rachel
  • Dondi(1961) as Liz
  • Blue Hawaii(1961) as Woman Paddling Canoe Near Hotel (uncredited)
  • Boys' Night Out(1962) as Joanne McIllenny
  • 2004:The Patti Page Video Songbook[31]
  • 2004:Patti Page – Sings the Hits
  • 2005:In Concert Series: Patti Page

See also[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

  • Once Upon a Dream: A Personal Chat with All Teenagers(1960)
  • This Is My Song: A Memoir– Patti Page with Skip Press (2009)

References[edit]

  1. ^abcdefBush, John."Patti Page biography".Allmusic.RetrievedJuly 23,2008.
  2. ^"Patti Page was a 'Singing Rage' in a phenomenal six-decade career".South Coast Today.February 17, 1999.RetrievedJuly 23,2008.
  3. ^ab"Patti Page biography".Corporate Artists.com. Archived fromthe originalon June 29, 2003.RetrievedJuly 23,2008.
  4. ^ab1930 US Census. Source Citation: Year: 1930; Census Place: Foraker, Osage, Oklahoma; Roll: 1922; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 19; Image: 1054.0; FHL microfilm: 2341656.
  5. ^"OETA in Depth interview with Patti Page".YouTube.Archivedfrom the original on December 21, 2021.RetrievedApril 28,2010.
  6. ^"Patti Page".Tulsa World.September 21, 1997.RetrievedMarch 30,2009.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ab"Patti Page biography".Country Music Television.Archived fromthe originalon February 3, 2004.
  8. ^"Biography – Patti Page".Verve Music Group.com. Archived fromthe originalon September 6, 2005.RetrievedJuly 23,2008.
  9. ^Patti Page, The Singles 1946-1952, CD A: 1946-1948, JSP Records, JSP2301(A), 2009.
  10. ^"Singer Patti Page dies at 85".January 3, 2013.
  11. ^abc"Contemporary musicians – Patti Page biography".Contemporary Musicians.End Notes.com.RetrievedJuly 23,2008.
  12. ^Murrells, Joseph (1978).The Book of Golden Discs(2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p.48.ISBN0-214-20512-6.
  13. ^abcd"Patti Page – The Singing Rage".Earthlink.com. Archived fromthe originalon October 16, 2011.RetrievedJuly 23,2008.
  14. ^abcdefBiography – Patti Pageoldies.com;retrieved 7-23-08.
  15. ^abcdePatti Page profileNNDB.com;retrieved 7-23-08.
  16. ^Patti Page appearancesIMDb.com;retrieved 7-23-08.
  17. ^"Patti Page – 'The Sound Of Music' / 'Little Donkey'",Discogs.com, accessed December 8, 2015. The song debuted at No. 99 on theBillboardHot 100."Hot 100Ads 16 ",The Billboard,December 28, 1959, p. 5, accessed December 8, 2015
  18. ^"Cover versions of The Sound of Music by Patti Page - SecondHandSongs".secondhandsongs.com.
  19. ^"Lifetime Achievement Award: Patti Page".January 30, 2013.
  20. ^Patti Page - Topic (January 18, 2017)."Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte (German Version)".Archivedfrom the original on December 21, 2021 – via YouTube.
  21. ^In Her First Ryman Concert, Patti Page Debuts New Album, Sings Her ClassicsCountry Music Television News & Updates for Patti Page;retrieved 7-23-08.
  22. ^Interview with Patti PageClassic Bands.com;retrieved 7-23-08.
  23. ^Patti Page Accepts Six-Week Branson ResidencyCountry Music Television News & Updates;retrieved 7-23-08.
  24. ^"Jack White, Patti Page share a 'Conquest' and a vision".USA Today.January 1, 2008.RetrievedJuly 23,2008.
  25. ^Miss Patti Page – AppearancesArchived2017-06-26 at theWayback Machineretrieved 01-03-2012.
  26. ^Bernard Weinraub,"Patti Page, Proving That Simple Songs Endure",The New York Times,August 12, 2003.
  27. ^"Jerome J. Filiciotto"[permanent dead link],The Bridge Weekly Sho-case(Woodsville, New Hampshire), April 30, 2009 (retrieved May 6, 2009).
  28. ^Villasenor, David (July 22, 2012)."Singer Patti Page Dead at 85 | NBC Southern California".NBC Los Angeles.RetrievedJanuary 2,2013.
  29. ^"Patti Page".Telegraph. January 3, 2013.Archivedfrom the original on January 12, 2022.RetrievedMay 19,2013.
  30. ^Stine, Rachel (January 10, 2013)."Friends recall fond memories of singer Patti Page".Thecoastnews.com.
  31. ^"Patti Page DVD | Patti Page Music Video DVD Compilation | Singing Rage DVD".View.com. Archived fromthe originalon February 23, 2012.RetrievedDecember 21,2012.

External links[edit]

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