Columnist Joe Delaney: For 75-year-old Page, life is still a waltz

Joe Delaney

Friday, July 5, 2002 | 8:40 a.m.

Joe Delaney's column appears on Thursdays and Fridays. Reach him at joe@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4066.

Patti Page, appearing at 8 p.m. Saturday in Texas Station's Dallas Events Center, was born Clara Ann Fowler in Claremore, Okla. ... She is fit and in great form in her 75th year ... We first heard her on a radio station in Tulsa, Okla. ... We were impressed ... We next heard her a few years later, in 1948, on a popular Chicago radio program, "The Breakfast Club."

By this time she had acquired a personal manager, Jack Rael, and a contract with the Mercury Records label ... Her first releases were in the traditional country music field ... Her first million-record seller was a classic pop standard, "With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming," where she sang all four parts, in harmony.

The following has been told here, in part, previously: The year was 1950 and country music great Pee Wee King had given me a copy of one of his compositions ... I felt that it had great pop potential if it were sung by a female ... The late Bob Thiele, then with Decca's Coral label, made a fine dance recording with the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra, but with a male vocal.

Anita O'Day, an authentic original jazz vocalist, was in need of a career boost ... I signed her to the London label and produced eight songs with an all-star jazz group that included Yank Lawson, Billy Butterfield and Clark Terry on trumpets; Will Bradley and Cutty Cutshall on trombones; the Benny Goodman sax section and Teddy Wilson on piano, leading the rhythm section.

We included King's composition ... Mercury's recording chief Art Talmadge, Rael and Page had recorded it in the same building at the same time ... It was released as a Mercury single, but the "A" side was a seasonal novelty, "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus."

By now, all Page fans know that the title of the King song was "Tennessee Waltz," one of the best-selling records of all time by a female singer ... Our O'Day record did well in Great Britain and Europe, but it was never a contender in this country ... Page has had near lifelong relationships with both Rael and Mercury Records.

Incidentally, if you would like to enjoy a hard-rocking version of "Tennessee Waltz" by a male vocalist, we recommend Tom Jones' version with the Chieftains on the RCA album, "The Long Black Veil," which also features guest performances by Sting, Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones, Van Morrison and Sinead O'Connor, among others.

Last year Page recorded "Brand New Tennessee Waltz," teaming with Trisha Yearwood, Emmylou Harris, Suzy Boggus and Kathy Mattea ... Page still has her own radio show, broadcast weekly on the Music of Your Life network.

Whether it's authentic country music or great popular music standards, Page sings them all as well as anyone in our ken these past five decades-plus ... Treat Mom and Dad, grandparents, too, to an evening with Page ... Be sure to take along your teenagers, they'll be grateful ... They responded to Tony Bennett and Tom Jones on MTV; Page is in their league.

Weekend wrap-up

Special treat: Marty Allen and Karon Kate Blackwell, appearing at the Suncoast, 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday ... The Allens deserve a permanent place to perform here ... "Thunder From Down Under" takes up residence in the Excalibur's Merlin Theatre tonight with shows at 7:30 nightly except Thursdays and with an extra performance at 11:30 p.m. on Saturdays.

Catch A Rising Star takes over the Excalibur's 10 p.m. slot ... University of Nevada, Las Vegas' Conservatory Theatre is performing 1986 Nobel Prize winner Wole Soyinka's adaptation of Sophocles' "Oedipus at Colonus," through July 12 at the XI International Meeting on Greek Drama in Delphi, Greece ... Soyinka, in residence at UNLV, also serves as director.

Jazz Under The Stars is performed at 6 tonight at West Las Vegas Arts Center Amphitheater ... Jazz at Pogo's is an every Friday night feature ... Saturday, jazz vibraharpist Tommy Vig performs with his trio plus Mia on vocals at Pogo's ... Also recommended: The Bill Trujillo Quartet, Fridays and Saturdays at 6 p.m to 9 p.m. Anthem Sun City Trumpets Lounge.

Hope your Fourth of July was safe, sane and great fun and it continues through the weekend and for the foreseeable future ... You can still give to the Sun Summer Camp Fund, please do ... See you next Thursday.