Patti Page enjoyed country and well as pop music success

While best know as a pop music singer and TV star, Patti Page also enjoyed many accomplishments in the country music field. Page, who passed away on New Year Years day in Encinitas, Calif., was 85-year-old. She had recently been announced as a recipient of a Special Merit Award from The Recording Academy, which will now be awarded to her posthumously on February 9.

A top selling female artist on the 1950s, Page charted 20 titles on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs list between 1949 and 1982 including her signature hit, “The Tennessee Waltz,” which spent three weeks at No. 2 in 1950. Among the many honors she received in her career was the Pioneer Award from the Academy of Country Music. She has stars on both the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Country Music Walk of Fame in Nashville.

Fellow music legend George Jones released a statement today about Page. “I just loved singing with Patti and she hit notes I never dreamed of," he said. "We cut some songs together and it was a great time. She’ll be missed by lots of folks and everybody needs to know how great she was. Patti was a wonderful singer with a real special voice.”

The Grammy-winning singer is the only musical performer in history to have had her own series on all three major networks, including “The Patti Page Show.”

She is survived by her son, Daniel O’Curran, daughter Kathleen Ginn and sister Peggy Layton. No funeral arrangements have been made at this time.