44 Facts About Patti Page

Clara Ann Fowler, better known by her stage name Patti Page, was an American singer.

Patti Page was often introduced as "the Singin' Rage, Miss Patti Page".

Unlike most other pop singers, Patti Page blended country music styles into many of her songs.

In 1997, Patti Page was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame.

Patti Page was posthumously honored with the Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in 2013.

Patti Page was raised in Foraker, Hardy, Muskogee, and Avant, Oklahoma, before attending Daniel Webster High School in Tulsa, from which she graduated in 1945.

Patti Page toured the United States with the Jimmy Joy Band in 1946.

Patti Page cut her first two discs with the Eddie Getz and George Barnes Orchestras but they failed to chart.

The arrangement of "Confess" was meant to use a backing chorus, but Mercury would not pay for one since Patti Page had not yet produced a charting single, so if she wanted additional singers she would have to hire them at her own expense.

Patti Page had a top 15 hit on the Billboard country chart in 1949 with "Money, Marbles, and Chalk".

In 1950, Patti Page had her first million-selling single "With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming", another song where she harmonized her vocals.

Patti Page liked the song, and she recorded and released it as a single.

In 1951, Patti Page covered "Would I Love You ", which had been a hit for Doris Day.

Patti Page's version was a top-five hit that sold 1 million copies.

Patti Page's version was the most popular and became her seventh million-selling single.

Patti Page released her first studio album in 1951 titled Folk Song Favorites.

In 1952, Patti Page had a third number-one hit with "I Went to Your Wedding", which spent two months at number one.

In 1954, Patti Page had more chart hits, including "Cross Over the Bridge", which again overdubbed Patti Page's vocals and peaked at number two.

In 1955, Patti Page had one chart single: "Croce di Oro".

Unlike most other pop singers of her time, Patti Page was able to maintain success into the rock-and-roll era.

Patti Page had three hits in 1956, including the number-two "Allegheny Moon".

Patti Page and Schoen's most challenging project was a recording of Gordon Jenkins narrative-tone poem as Manhattan Tower.

However, this show only lasted one season, as did The Big Record and The Patti Page Olds Show, sponsored by Oldsmobile.

Patti Page began an acting career at this time, beginning with a role on Playhouse 90.

Patti Page recorded the theme song for Boys Night Out, in which she played the part of Joanne McIllenny.

In 1959, Patti Page recorded the title song from the musical The Sound of Music for Mercury Records on the same day that the musical opened on Broadway.

The song on her TV show The Patti Page Olds Show helped to promote the Broadway show.

Patti Page did not chart again until 1961 with "You'll Answer to Me" and "Mom and Dad's Waltz".

Patti Page recorded the song in Italian, Spanish, and German for foreign markets.

Patti Page released a few studio albums for Columbia in the 1960s.

In 1973, Patti Page returned to Columbia Records' affiliate Epic Records.

Patti Page had a top-40 hit with Plantation in 1981 titled "No Aces", followed by a series of minor country hits.

In 1988, Patti Page appeared at the Ballroom in New York, marking the first time that she had performed there in nearly 20 years.

In 1998, a sample of Patti Page's recording of "Old Cape Cod" formed the basis of Groove Armada's UK hit "At the River".

Miss Patti Page was in Manchester to perform a sold-out concert at the Palace Theater to benefit Merrimack Valley Assistance Program.

Until shortly before her death, Patti Page was the host of a weekly Sunday program on the Music of Your Life radio network.

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

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

Patti Page incorporated jazz into some of her songs; however, on most of her recordings, Patti Page favored a country music arrangement.

Patti Page, who was born in Oklahoma, felt comfortable using this idea.

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

Patti Page was married three times, first to University of Wisconsin student Jack Skiba in May 1948.

Patti Page died on January 1,2013, at the Seacrest Village Retirement Community in Encinitas, California, at the age of 85; she had been suffering from heart and lung disease.

Patti Page was buried at El Camino Memorial Park in San Diego.