Patti Page

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Patti Page on the cover of a collection, part of The Millenium Collection

Patti Page (born Clara Ann Fowler, November 8, 1927) is one of the best-known female singers in traditional pop music. She is unusual in that she came to traditional pop from country music, and some of her recordings are somewhat country flavored. She is sometimes considered the first major crossover artist to popularize country music to the general public. Her records span the era from 1949 to 1981.

Records vary as to whether Clara Ann Fowler was born in Claremore or Muskogee, Oklahoma. In either case, she became a featured singer on a 15-minute radio program on radio station KTUL, Tulsa, Oklahoma, at age 18. The program was sponsored by Page Milk Company and so Clara Ann Fowler became Patti Page.

In 1946, Jack Rael, a band manager, came to Tulsa to do a one-nighter. He turned on the radio, and heard the musical program with the 18-year-old featured vocalist. He liked what he heard, and asked her to join the Jimmy Joy band, which Rael managed. Eventually both left the band; and Rael became Patti's personal manager and leader of the backup orchestra for many of her recordings.

Although both Mary Ford and Jane Turzy became known for it, Patti Page was the first singer to record multiple tracks on the same song, on her recording of "Confess" in 1947. On some of the records, she was billed as "Vocal by Patti Page, Patti Page, and Patti Page," in at least case being given quadruple billing.

Her first charted hit, "Confess," was made in 1948 for Mercury Records, and reached #12 on the Billboard chart. Her first #1 hit was "All My Love", based on Ravel's Bolero, which was #1 for 5 weeks in 1950. Her biggest hit was "The Tennessee Waltz", which was #1 for 13 weeks, coming a few months later in 1950. In 1963 she changed companies, going to Columbia, but returned to Mercury in 1971. In 1973 she went back to the Columbia family, recording for Epic Records (a subsidiary). In 1974 and 1975 she had a pair of records for Avco Records, then, after a hiatus of a few years, started in 1981 to record for Plantation Records, her last label.

Many of her songs have a strong beat to them that prelude rock 'n' roll. These titles include "Mister and Mississippi", "Detour" and "Cross Over the Bridge".

Among the songs she is known for recording:

• "All My Love (Bolero)"
• "Allegheny Moon"
• "Another Time, Another Place"
• "Belonging to Someone"
• "Boys' Night Out"
• "Changing Partners"
• "Come What May"
• "Croce Di Oro (Cross of Gold)"
• "Cross Over the Bridge"
• "Detour"
• "The Doggie in the Window"
• "Fibbin' "
• "Go on with the Wedding"
• "Hush...Hush Sweet Charlotte"
• "I Can't Tell a Waltz from a Tango"
• "I Cried"
• "I Went to Your Wedding"
• "I'll Keep the Lovelight Burning"
• "I'll Remember Today"
• "Left Right Out of Your Heart (Hi Lee Hi Lo Hi Lup Up Up)"
• "Let Me Go, Lover!" (A better known version, however, was recorded by Joan Weber.)
• "The Mama Doll Song"
• "Mama from the Train"
• "Mister And Mississippi"
• "Mockin' Bird Hill"
• "Most People Get Married"
• "My Restless Lover"
• "Old Cape Cod"
• "One of Us (Will Weep Tonight)"
• "A Poor Man's Roses (or a Rich Man's Gold)"
• "So In Love"
• "Steam Heat"
• "The Tennessee Waltz"
• "What A Dream"
• "With My Eyes Wide Open I'm Dreaming"
• "Wondering"

External links

• The Official Patti Page Website
• chart positions, label numbers, etc. of all her hits