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Patsy Montana | |
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | The Cowboy's Sweetheart |
| Born | Ruby Rose Blevins (1908-10-30)October 30, 1908 Beaudry, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | May 3, 1996(1996-05-03) (aged 87) San Jacinto, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Country,Western |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals,guitar[1] |
| Years active | 1933–1996 |
| Labels | Vocalion,RCA Victor |
| Website | Patsy Montana Site |
Ruby Rose Blevins (October 30, 1908 – May 3, 1996),[2] known professionally asPatsy Montana, was an Americancountry and western singer and songwriter. Montana was the first female country performer to have a million-selling single with her signature song "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart", and is a member of theCountry Music Hall of Fame.
Ruby Blevins (she added an "e" to Ruby in her late teens)[3] was born inBeaudry, Arkansas, United States, and grew up nearHope. She had ten siblings, all of them boys, However, two died early from an accidental fire. She was full of sorrow, yet she tried her best to make it in life with two siblings dead.
In 1929, Blevins went toCalifornia to study violin at theUniversity of the West (UCLA). She won a local talent contest with her singing,yodelling, and playing the guitar and first prize was an opportunity to play on theHollywood Breakfast Club radio program.
In the summer of 1933, Blevins went with two of her brothers to theChicago World's Fair. The trip's mission was to enter a large, prize watermelon the Blevins had raised, and Rubye was invited to go, mainly to meet up with two pen pals, Millie and Dolly Good (TheGirls of the Golden West). While inChicago, she auditioned for a crooner's role. However, she began laughing halfway through the song. The producer on hand fell in love with her "giggle" and auditioned her instead atWLS-AM for a group called thePrairie Ramblers.[3] Blevins and the Ramblers became regulars on WLS'sNational Barn Dance program. The Prairie Ramblers also backed Blevins on most of her hits with ARC Records,Decca, andRCA Victor.
| External audio | |
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 “I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart”, performed by Patsy Montana,Encyclopedia of Arkansas |
In 1934, Blevins' repertoire included "Montana Plains", a reworking of a song originally called "Texas Plains". Blevins further altered the composition, which became her signature song, "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart".[2] Released in 1935, the song made Blevins the first female country recording artist to have a million seller.[4] Blevins performed onNational Barn Dance until the 1950s, and worked withGene Autry,Pat Buttram,Red Foley, theGirls of the Golden West andGeorge Gobel.
Blevins took her stage name fromsilent film star and world-championroperMonte Montana, with whom she had an opportunity to work early in her career.[2] She made one feature-length movie calledColorado Sunset withSmiley Burnette and Gene Autry.
Barn Dance also introduced her to her future husband, Paul E. Rose. Rose was a stage manager for Gene Autry at the time, and was always around when Autry was performing, which just so happened to be when Patsy was performing. According to Patsy (as she was by this time called by everyone who knew her), they were the "only two single people involved with the show and kinda got thrown together." Though Rose was around five years her junior, they married on July 3, "honeymooned," and July 4 went their separate ways on different tours. Two weeks later they were again united, but throughout their married life they often followed this pattern. The couple had two daughters, Beverly and Judy. Montana and her two daughters later appeared as the Patsy Montana Trio.
After semi-retiring in the late 1950s to spend more time with her family, Montana attempted a comeback in 1964.[3] She released an album on the Sims label inArizona, notable for havingWaylon Jennings as lead guitar player before he made his national debut.[2] The album was later re-released byStarday Records. She influenced later singersPatsy Cline andDottie West, and more recently, Western music star Devon Dawson, the singing voice ofToy Story 2'sJessie the Yodeling Cowgirl.
Montana's signature song, "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart", appears over the end credits of John Sayles's 1996 filmLone Star, which was released just weeks after Montana's death.
Montana died on May 3, 1996, at her home inSan Jacinto,California.[2] As Paul Rose served in the United States Army, she is buried atRiverside National Cemetery inRiverside, California. She was inducted into theNational Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame inFort Worth,Texas, in 1987 and in theCountry Music Hall of Fame inNashville,Tennessee, in 1996.
