Here is the beginning of Patti Page’s obituary in The New York Times:
Patti Page, the apple-cheeked, honey-voiced alto whose sentimental, soothing, sometimes silly hits like “Tennessee Waltz,”“Old Cape Cod” and“(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window” made her one of the most successful pop singers of the 1950s, died on Tuesday in Encinitas, Calif. She was 85. (Continue Reading…)
The Wall Street Journal offers an interesting piece on Page, who was born Clara Ann Fowler and grew up in the Tulsa area. Page — known as “that singing rage, Patti Page” — pioneered overdubbing and accompanied herself on some tunes.
Tennessee Waltz undoubtedly was the high point of Page’s long career. Writes Chris Talbott at Huffington Post:
“Tennessee Waltz” scored the rare achievement of reaching No. 1 on the pop, country and R&B charts simultaneously and was officially adopted as one of two official songs by the state of Tennessee. Its reach was so powerful, six other artists reached the charts the following year with covers.
None of the obits cited Page as a musical genius or unique. The clip of Tennessee Waltz, which is above, shows that she had a gorgeous voice. Below is (How Much is That) Doggie in the Window? It is, as the name implies, a cute novelty song.
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