Craig Anderton's Sound, Studio, and Stage

[rasputin1963]

American popular singer Patti Page died on New Year's Day in Encinitas, CA at the age of 85.

Recordists will recall that her nickname in the 1950's was "Little Miss Overdub", as she was one of the first artists to overdub layers of her own vocal harmonies when that was still an amazingly novel sound.

Now me, I'm definitely of the rock generation, b.1963, but I have long loved a particular album of Page's, done in the early 1980's:

Arranger Marty Paich was hired to record a new album of the old Patti hits from the 1950's, but with new arrangements, hipper and snappier than the original 1950's arrangements (which could be a little syrupy) and of course better production values.

The result is this Columbia album... bearing this exact cover. If you like great popular American big band/orchestra arranging, you'll really be impressed. Paich took some of these songs at a near-breakneck tempo, and Patti, in her 50's at the time, matched him note-for-note. Nice.

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[MikeRivers]

Originally Posted by rasputin1963

Arranger Marty Paich was hired to record a new album of the old Patti hits from the 1950's, but with new arrangements, hipper and snappier than the original 1950's arrangements (which could be a little syrupy) and of course better production values.

It was Tennessee Waltz (a little syrupy) that was her biggest hit. It was the B side of Boogie Woogie Santa Claus, but DJs of the day seemed to know which was the better and longer lasting song.

[wesg]

Bummer. I played Allegheny Moon on my NYE gig. The old folks loved it.

RIP, "The Singing Rage"!

[Ed A.]

Patti Page version:



White Stripes version:

[Lee Knight]

Great tune^^^

I live in Encinitas and had no idea she lived here. Rip Ms. Page.

[guido61]

A nice singer with a very solid career and a long, apparently pretty good life. We all should do so well

For me though, she'll live on largely as the example I go to whenever anyone complains about how bad modern pop music is. There have been a lot of really bad, really big hit records over the years. "How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?" is very near the top of the list.

RIP, Patti.

[rasputin1963]

Originally Posted by guido61

A nice singer with a very solid career and a long, apparently pretty good life. We all should do so well

For me though, she'll live on largely as the example I go to whenever anyone complains about how bad modern pop music is. There have been a lot of really bad, really big hit records over the years. "How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?" is very near the top of the list.

RIP, Patti.

She was gigging still within the last ten years of her life. Vegas and Reno should dim the lights for her, I'd think. As for "Doggie In The Window": admit it, when you were four years old you dug that tune!!

[guido61]

Originally Posted by rasputin1963

As for "Doggie In The Window": admit it, when you were four years old you dug that tune!!

Absolutely! That and "The Hokey Pokey" were my favs!

I didn't mean any of that to sound disrespectful. Just callin' it like it is, is all. I have all the respect in the world for Ms. Page and her career. This is a tough business and always has been. She worked for decades. Rihanna and Carly Rae Jespen (whom I also respect) should be so fortunate in their futures.

[blue2blue]

RIP, Ms Page.

I remember her well from the 50s. But I actually fell in love with "Tennesee Waltz" as an adult, after having my attention re-directed to it by Jesse Winchester's equally engaging "Brand New Tennessee Waltz."