https://youtu.be/_Ek3eCbfqp0
Patti Page, an Oklahoma-born singer whose greatest claim to fame was her massively popular “Tennessee Waltz” song from 1950, died Tuesday in California at age 85, reported the Tulsa World and many other media outlets.
I’ll let other obituaries detail Page’s amazing music career, which included more than 100 million records sold. But it should be known that Page’s Route 66 roots were substantial:
— She was born in the Route 66 town of Claremore, Okla., which also was the adopted hometown of Will Rogers. Patti Page Boulevard intersects with Lynn Griggs Riggs Boulevard (Route 66) in Claremore.
— She graduated from Daniel Webster High School, which is off Route 66 in southwest Tulsa. A plaque of her hangs in the main hallway as the one of the school’s most distinguished alums.
— Page recorded Bobby Troup’s “Route 66” in 1958. It’s a good version; you can download it for 99 cents here from Amazon.
Here’s an OETA interview with Page from 2010, when she was visiting her home state:
Page likely will be buried in California, but details on the arrangements weren’t known Wednesday night.
Such a legendary singer and her version of the Waltz was for those dancers that liked a slow tempo or were learning the waltz, one of the best and original breakup songs IMHO.
I remember having the instrumental version of this song playing all the time in Dance Class, in this tempo and as you were getting better in the waltz, it sped up.
I remember listening to “Tennessee Waltz” a few months ago, and it was mesmerizing — especially because of that voice.
It should be Lynn Riggs Boulevard. He wrote the play “Green Grow The Lilacs” from which “Oklahoma” was made.
Typo on my part. I’ve fixed it.