Congressional Record—Senate S204
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S204 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 23, 2013 ‘‘Tennessee Waltz’’ for Mercury Patti Page,’’ as she was introduced during Ms. Page’s nice-girl image endured. In 1988, Records. It turned out it was her last her heyday, was mechanical or sterile, she when she was 60, she told The Times: ‘‘I’m recording session. Mike Kerr, the had significant achievements nonetheless. sure there are a lot of things I should have ‘‘Tennessee Waltz,’’ from 1950, sold 10 mil- owner of Kerr Records, had invited her done differently. But I don’t think I’ve lion copies and is largely considered the first stepped on anyone along the way. If I have, to come to Nashville and record an true crossover hit; it spent months on the I didn’t mean to.’’ album, ‘‘Best of Patti Page.’’ He had pop, country and rhythm-and-blues charts. invited me to come play the piano Ms. Page was believed to be the first singer Mr. ALEXANDER. I yield the floor. while she sang the ‘‘Tennessee Waltz,’’ to overdub herself, long before technology The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- which I did. It was a real thrill and she made that method common. Mitch Miller, a ator from Delaware. producer for Mercury Records, had her do it (The remarks of Mr. COONS per- was very patient to put up with an first on ‘‘Confess,’’ in 1948, when there were amateur piano player for her very spe- no backup singers because of a strike. taining to the introduction of S. 85 are cial song. She told me then it wasn’t The height of her career predated the printed in today’s RECORD under the first time she had performed with a Grammy Awards, which were created in 1959, ‘‘Statements on Introduced Bills and Tennessee Governor. In 1950 she had but she finally won her first and only Joint Resolutions.’’) performed with Tennessee Governor Grammy in 1999 for ‘‘Live at Carnegie Hall,’’ Mr. COONS. I yield the floor and sug- Gordon Browning at a Memphis the- a recording of a 1997 concert celebrating her gest the absence of a quorum. 50th anniversary as a performer. Her career ater. This was when she was all the was also the basis of recent, short-lived Off The PRESIDING OFFICER. The rage, the ‘‘Tennessee Waltz’’ was all Broadway musical, ‘‘Flipside: The Patti Page clerk will call the roll. the rage, and the Governor wanted to Story.’’ The legislative clerk proceeded to sing it with her. In the early days of television Ms. Page call the roll. I asked how it went. She said, ‘‘Well, was the host of several short-lived network series, including ‘‘Scott Music Hall’’ (1952), a Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, I ask to tell you the truth, the Governor unanimous consent that the order for wasn’t a very good singer.’’ 15-minute NBC show that followed the evening news two nights a week, and ‘‘The the quorum call be rescinded. I don’t know what she said to others Big Record,’’ which ran one season, 1957–58, about my piano playing, but I think The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without on CBS. ‘‘The Patti Page Show’’ was an NBC objection, it is so ordered. that was probably about as harsh a ver- summer fill-in series in 1956. dict as Patti Page ever rendered of any Ms. Page defended her demure, unpre- other person. tentious style as appropriate for its time. ‘‘It f According to the New York Times was right after the war,’’ she told The Advo- obituary, Patti Page once said: cate of Baton Rouge, La., in 2002, ‘‘and peo- STARTUP ACT 2.0 ple were waiting to just settle down and take But I don’t think I’ve stepped on anyone a deep breath and relax.’’ Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, I have along the way. If I have, I didn’t mean to. She was born Clara Ann Fowler on Nov. 8, only been a Member of the Senate for 2 Well, Patti Page is gone now, but her 1927, in Claremore, Okla., a small town near years, but in that short period of time music is not. Whenever we Tennesseans Tulsa that was also the birthplace of Will at least seven other countries have hear our State song, the ‘‘Tennessee Rogers. She was one of 11 children of a rail- road laborer. taken actions that we have not taken Waltz,’’ played, or whenever we sing it, Having shown talent as an artist, Clara to better support and attract entre- we will remember the voice of Patti took a job in the art department of the Tulsa preneurs to their countries’ economies. Page. radio station KTUL, but an executive there The map beside me shows those coun- Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- had heard her sing and soon asked her to tries: the United Kingdom, Russia, sent that following my remarks that take over a short country-music show called Singapore, Australia, Brazil, Chile, and ‘‘Meet Patti Page’’ (Time magazine called it the obituary about Patti Page from the Canada. Those countries have changed New York Times be printed in the ‘‘a hillbilly affair’’), sponsored by Page Milk. She adopted the fictional character’s name their rules, regulations, passed laws, RECORD. and kept it. changed their policies to make their There being no objection, the mate- The newly named Ms. Page broke away country more friendly to startup busi- rial was ordered to be printed in the from her radio career to tour with Jimmy nesses and to entrepreneurship. RECORD, as follows: Joy’s band and was shortly signed by Mer- I wish to focus on and visit with my [From the New York Times—Obituary] cury Records. She had her first hit record, ‘‘With My Eyes Wide Open, I’m Dreaming,’’ colleagues about what is happening in PATTI PAGE, HONEY-VOICED ’50S POP in 1950. Other notable recordings were ‘‘Cross one of those countries—our neighbor to SENSATION, DIES AT 85 Over the Bridge,’’ ‘‘Mockin’ Bird Hill,’’ ‘‘Al- the north, Canada—and explain why it (By Anita Gates) legheny Moon’’ and her last hit, ‘‘Hush . is in the interests of our own country Patti Page, the apple-cheeked, honey- Hush, Sweet Charlotte,’’ which she recorded to act quickly to retain highly skilled voiced alto whose sentimental, soothing, as the theme for the Bette Davis movie of and entrepreneurial immigrants. sometimes silly hits like ‘‘Tennessee Waltz,’’ the same name. That song was nominated for ‘‘Old Cape Cod’’ and ‘‘How Much Is That an Oscar, and Ms. Page sang it on the 1965 In 2002, Canada announced plans to Doggie in the Window?’’ made her one of the Academy Awards telecast. create a new visa to attract foreign en- most successful pop singers of the 1950s, died Ms. Page briefly pursued a movie career in trepreneurs to their country. Canada is on Tuesday in Encinitas, Calif. She was 85. her early ’30s, playing an evangelical singer developing a plan to admit foreign en- Her death was confirmed by Seacrest Vil- alongside Burt Lancaster and Jean Simmons trepreneurs who have received capital lage Retirement Communities, where she in ‘‘Elmer Gantry’’ (1960), David Janssen’s from venture funds to start businesses lived. love interest in the comic-strip-inspired in Canada and to admit them to Can- Ms. Page had briefly been a singer with ‘‘Dondi’’ (1961) and a suburban wife in the Benny Goodman when she emerged at the comedy ‘‘Boys’ Night Out’’ (1962), with Kim ada within weeks. A spokesman for the end of the big band era, just after World War Novak and James Garner. She had one of her Canadian immigration agency was II, into a cultural atmosphere in which pop earliest acting roles in 1957 on an episode of quoted in September as saying: ‘‘Can- music was not expected to be challenging. ‘‘The United States Steel Hour.’’ ada seeks young, ambitious innovative Critics assailed her style as plastic, placid, In later decades her star faded, but she immigrants who will contribute to bland and antiseptic, but those opinions were continued to sing professionally throughout Canada’s job growth and further drive not shared by millions of record buyers. As her 70s. Early in the 21st century she was our economy.’’ Jon Pareles wrote in The New York Times in performing in about 40 to 50 concerts a year. 1997, ‘‘For her fans, beauty and comfort were In 2002 and 2003 she released an album of But Canada is not just changing its one and the same.’’ children’s songs, a new ‘‘best of’’ collection laws to attract entrepreneurs; it is ad- ‘‘Doggie in the Window,’’ a perky 1952 nov- and a Christmas album. vertising and trying to lure talent elty number written by Bob Merrill and In- Ms. Page married Charles O’Curran, a Hol- there. The ad we are now showing—this grid Reuterskio¨ ld, featured repeated barking lywood choreographer, in 1956. They divorced is a full-page ad that appeared in a pub- sounds and could claim no more sophisti- in 1972. In 1990 she married Jerry Filiciotto, lication called Fast Company. It is an cated a lyric than ‘‘I must take a trip to a retired aerospace engineer, with whom she American magazine dedicated to California.’’ It is often cited as an example of founded a New Hampshire company mar- what was wrong with pop music in the early keting maple syrup products. He died in 2009. startups, to technology and innova- ’50s, a perceived weakness that opened the Survivors include her son, Danny O’Curran; tion.