The Rosemary Clooney Palladium website highly recommends
This is My Song: A Memoir
Rest In Peace Miss Patti Page
The Society of Singers presented Rosemary Clooney with the 7th Ella Lifetime Achievement Award on October 5, 1998. Patti Page was on hand to sing A Foggy Day for her good friend Rosie. The song held special meaning for Rosemary, partly because the Gershwins had written that song in 1937 in the living room of what would become her home at 1019 Roxbury Drive. Below is the video from Miss Patti Page's performance that evening.
After being presented with her award from her nephew George, Rosemary sang what had become her signature song of the last couple decades, another Gershwin song, Our Love Is Here to Stay. After Rosemary sang, all the performers were asked to join her on stage to sing the Society of Singers theme song Dream. In what could only be called a "God thing" Patti would stand next to Rosemary for this final number and here are a few screen captures from that magical moment.
THEIR SONG and their willingness to use the gift God had given them had brought them from humble beginnings, to the heights of success, through tremendous heartache, and to this shared stage. They'd both topped the charts, both sang for Presidents, and both would see their dream of headlining at Carnegie Hall come true. Through it all, it was THEIR SONG that remained a constant. Rosemary said that night that she'd keep singing as long as she could stand, and when she couldn't stand, she'd sit, and so she did right up to the end. Patti ends her book with these words, "by the grace of God I will always be singing." If Rosemary has any influence on how God's dispensing his grace, and we think she does, we have no doubt that her friend Patti Page will always be singing....much to our delight!!
The
photo on the left was taken in Nov. of 2001 in HI - it was used
on Rosemary's Last Concert CD.
The photo on the right
was taken in Nov. of 2005 in PA.
Similar photos, similar stories,
both voices touched by God!
A few more photos from the 2005 concert.
Fans of Rosemary's will be delighted with this telling
memoir. Unlike Rosemary, Patti was able to keep her private life fairly
private. While we've known for decades what fueled Rosemary's ability to tap
into intense emotion and tell a moving story with her song, we've been left to
wonder what was behind those feelings of longing and heartbreak and joy that
Patti so beautifully conveyed in hers. With This is My Song Patti tells us the
rest of the story and fills in many of the missing pieces. In addition to
painting a more complete picture of her personal life, she regales you with
her memories of fellow
entertainers, record breaking success, television shows, guest appearances,
movies, and awards that will keep you captivated. It is almost guaranteed you won’t
be able to put the book down once you start.
For Rosemary fans, your heart will be touched each time she mentions her “good friend Rosie” and you'll be so pleased with the rare photo Patti has included of the two of them.
If you love those timeless hits of Patti’s, or her songs were part of the soundtrack of your life, or you just miss Rosemary, read Patti’s memoir – its like a warm and telling chat with another amazing Girl Singer. Order your copy today by clicking here.
An article in the LA Times about Rosemary's Ella Award:
Singing the Praises of Rosemary
Clooney
by Michael Quintanilla, The Los Angeles Times, Oct 7,
1998
An article in the LA Times about Patti Page:
This Page Continues
Legendary Singer
Still on Key and Still on the Road
THOMAS K. ARNOLD. The Los Angeles Times, Sep 10,
1988
An article in the LA Times about Rosemary's first Singers Salute to the Songwriters where Patti Page performed:
A Big-League Winner for the Betty Clooney
Foundation
by Marylouise Oates, The Los Angeles
Times, Apr 11, 1986