Patti Page (1927-2013): A Tribute

by Tim Akers,  son of Richard "Dick" Leon And Sally Kay (Fowler) Akers. 

Used by permission.

There were 11 Fowler children born to Benjamin and Maggie between 1910 and Christmas Day, 1929. On album liner notes and print interviews -- the children were just a number; here, they are Hazel, Daniel Benjamin, Trudie Jane, Sarah Louise, Mack Bolin, Charles Edward (Ed), Rema Ruth, Ruby Nell, Virginia Bell, Clara Ann, and Margaret Ellen (Peggy). Why mention them? That’s simple: Christmas is about family!


Their father worked on the Midland Valley Railroad in Eastern Oklahoma and supported all 13 of them on less than $50 a month; their mother picked cotton to augment that income. Over the years, a highlight of every family get-together became a happy time of reminiscing as each Fowler sibling related knee-slapping, laugh-until-you-cry stories – and how they tried to hide everything from their strict mother, Maggie. The Fowler family was rich beyond words when it came to their memories. They all had beautiful singing voices but there was one musical storyteller in the group who could interpret a story in song, who set the world on fire with hit after hit from 1948 until her last charted single in 1980. Through her final interview in December 2012, that storyteller reiterated that she wanted to be a commercial artist; she never wanted to be a singer. But “It just worked out that way. I guess God had other plans for me,” exclaimed Clara Ann Fowler, a.k.a. Patti Page.

The world lost one of its greatest ladies of song when Patti Page passed away on January 1, 2013. She left us a storehouse of recordings to cherish.

From our extended Fowler family to yours, here’s a heartfelt wish --

in every Christmas season –

you love, cherish, and enjoy your family and friends.

More to Read:
1. This is My Song: A Memoir. By Patti Page. (my copy was reprinted in 2009.)
2. Once Upon a Dream: A Personal Chat with All Teenagers. By Patti Page. Bobbs-Merrill, New York; 1960. 

3. The Liner Notes from the tribute 2013 CD recording of “Christmas with Patti Page.”

4. Patti Page Relatives Preserve Her Life: Tim Akers and Dena Roeder

5. Patty Page's Official Website

6. Baltimore Radio's Tribute to Patti Page
7. Patti's IMDb biography 
8. Wikipedia -- Patti Page
9. Travel Oklahoma's Tribute Page to Patti.
10. Oklahoma's Music Hall of Fame -- 1997 Inductee
11. Museum of Broadcast Communications -- search "Page, Patti"

12.  Obituary 1
13. Obituary 2
14. Obituary 3
15. Obituary 4
16. Obituary 5 (turn on sound)
17. Findagrave #103010674

It was a family tradition! Patti's grandfather Benjamin Fowler; her father, Ben A. Fowler; and her brother, Mack B. Fowler all worked for the Midland Valley Railroad company.  

Places to Visit: 
1. Claremore Museum of History, 121 North Wenonah, Claremore, OK.
2. Oklahoma State Historical Society (insert "Patti Page" into their search engine for current exhibit info)
3. OKPOP Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture (ditto for current exhibit info) Museum is being built across from Cain's Ballroom, 423 N Main St, Tulsa, OK, where Patti sang with Al Clauser and his Oklahomans and Bob Wills when she was in high school. 
4. Patti Page's Oklahoma Music Trail (Tim said #7 stop should be 3702 W. 43rd St., Tulsa, OK.)

Here's a sampling of some of Patti's songs:
(click on lower right hand corner of Youtube videos to enlarge screen)

Christmas Song

Home

Home for the Holidays

Home, Sweet Oklahoma

How Much Is That Doggie In the Window?

Jingle Bells

Life is just a Bowl of Cherries

Mockingbird Hill

Mom and Dad's Waltz

Moon River

Oklahoma Blues

The Person Who Used to Be Me

Silent Night

Want to hear more?

Click on my first YouTube playlist of Patti's music. 

This one has still shots of Patti that accompany her music. 

And this is my second YouTube playlist of Patti, filmed live as she sang her songs.