Patti Page, the lady that made her fame from songs such as ‘Tennessee Waltz’ and ‘How Much Is That Doggy In The Window’ passed away on January 1, 2013, aged 85. Her music may have been written off by critics for being too lightweight and bland but still, Patti Page was one of the best-selling artists of her time. ‘Tennessee Waltz’ sold 10 million, alone, despite being relegated to the B-side of ‘Boogie Woogie Santa Claus,’ expected to be a throwaway hit.

Page, described by the Washington Post as a “superstar of the post-World War II era” was one of the most successful artists of her era and in many ways, was a pioneering one. She was one of the first pop artists to use the technique of over-dubbing, made a necessity when a musicians’ strike prevented her from finding any backing vocalists for her single ‘Confess.’ She once explained to the Philadelphia Daily News “I couldn’t get anyone to sing backup vocals. So we bounced the recording from one acetate disc cutting machine to another, with me adding on the harmonies.” She later went on to perform all four of the four-part harmonies on ‘With My Eyes Wide Open, I’m Dreaming,’ and the label listed the vocals as being by “Patti Page, Patti Page, Patti Page and Patti Page.”

Page was born Clara Ann Fowler in Claremore Oklahoma in 1927 into a family of modest income. She is survived by two children, a sister, 14 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Her death was confirmed by her manager Michael Glynn, though the cause of her death was not yet known.