Patti Page, who made "Tennessee Waltz" one of the best-selling recordings ever, has died. She was 85.

Page died on New Year's Day in Encinitas, Calif., according to her manager.

 

Patti Page(L) and Brenda Lee
Patti Page(L) and Brenda Lee (Rick Diamond/Getty Images)
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She was one of the top-selling female singers in history with more than 100 million record sales and created a distinctive sound for the music industry in 1947 by overdubbing her own voice when she didn't have enough money to hire backup singers for the single, "Confess."

She had 24 records in the top 10, including four that reached No. 1. She was also the first singer to have television programs on all three major networks, including "The Patti Page Show" on ABC.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved)

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