Cline, Patsy

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'''Patsy Cline''' (born '''Virginia Patterson Hensley''' [[September 8]], [[1932]] – [[March 5]], [[1963]]) was a [[Country Music]]/[[Pop Music]] singer, who enjoyed [[Pop Music]] cross-over success during the era of the [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]] Sound in the early 1960s. She became one of the first [[Country]] [[singers]] to have major success on the [[Pop (music)|Pop]] charts. This [[crossover music|crossover]] theme was later used by other [[Country]] artists, like [[Faith Hill]] and [[Shania Twain]]. Since her death at the age of 30 in a 1963 plane crash during the height of her fame, she has been considered one of the most influential and successful female vocalists of the 20th Century. Her legacy, ensured by a string of hit recordings and posthumous awards, has been the subject of numerous books, movies, documentaries, articles and stage plays.  
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[[Image:Patsy Cline-Performing.jpg|thumb|250px|Patsy Cline]]
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'''Patsy Cline''' (Sept. 8, 1932—March 5, 1963) was a [[country music]] singer who enjoyed [[pop music]] cross-over success during the era of the [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]] Sound in the early 1960s. She is considered one of the most influential female vocalists of the twentieth century.
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Patsy Cline was best-known for her emotionally-expressive voice, that has been found hard to re-create. Many artists over the years have tried to re-create Cline's sound, like [[k.d. lang]] and [[LeAnn Rimes]]. Many of her songs have been identified as "timeless classics". Her signature songs include "[[Crazy (Willie Nelson song)|Crazy]]", "[[I Fall to Pieces]]", "[[She's Got You]]", "[[So Wrong]]" and "[[Walkin' After Midnight]]". She has sold millions of albums over the past 49 years, which gave Patsy Cline an iconic fan status, similar to that of [[Country]] artists like [[Johnny Cash]] and [[Dolly Parton]].
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Cline was best known for her full throated, emotionally expressive voice, which differentiated her from other female country singers of her day. Many of her songs have been identified as classics. Her signature songs include "[[Crazy (Willie Nelson song)|Crazy]]," "[[I Fall to Pieces]]," "[[She's Got You]]," "Sweet Dreams," and "[[Walkin' After Midnight]]." Millions of her albums have been sold since her death in a 1963 plane crash at the age of 30 during the height of her fame, which has given her an iconic fan status.
  
 
==Early years==
 
==Early years==
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Born Virginia ("Ginny") Patterson Hensley on [[September 8]], [[1932]], in [[Winchester, Virginia]], she was the daughter of Sam and Hilda Hensley, a blacksmith and a seamstress. She was the eldest of three children, which included a brother, Sam, and a sister, Sylvia. With dreams of stardom since an early age, Cline often proclaimed as a child that she would one day be famous and looked up to stars such as [[Judy Garland]] and [[Shirley Temple]]. A serious illness as a child caused a throat infection which, according to Cline, resulted in her gift of "a voice that boomed like [[Kate Smith]]'s". Cline was well rounded in her musical tastes and credited everyone from [[Kay Starr]] to [[Hank Williams]] for influencing her. During her early years of childhood, she often sang in church with her mother.
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Born Virginia Patterson Hensley on September 8, 1932, in [[Winchester, Virginia]], Patsy Cline was the daughter of Sam and Hilda Hensley, a blacksmith and a seamstress, respectively. She was the eldest of three children. With dreams of stardom since an early age, Cline often proclaimed that she would one day be famous. She often sang in church with her mother and admired film stars such as [[Judy Garland]] and [[Shirley Temple]]. A serious illness as a child caused a throat infection which, according to Cline, resulted in her booming, husky voice. She was well-rounded in her musical tastes and credited a range of singers from [[Kay Starr]] to [[Hank Williams]] for influencing her.  
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Cline began performing in area variety/talent shows early on and then, as she grew older, began to play popular nightclubs. To support her family after her father abandoned them, she quit school and worked various jobs, [[soda]]jerking and waitressing by day and singing in clubs at night.
 
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Her mother, Hilda, a gifted seamstress who practiced her craft until her passing in 1998, made Cline's famous western stage outfits. During this period in her early 20s, Cline met two men who would be responsible for her name changes: she married contractor Gerald Cline (whom she later divorced) in 1953, and she was given the name "Patsy" by her new manager, Bill Peer. Numerous appearances on local radio followed, and she attracted a large following in the Virginia/Maryland area, especially when [[Jimmy Dean]] learned of her. She became a regular on [[Connie B. Gay]]'s ''Town and Country'' television show, broadcast out of [[Washington, D.C]].
 
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In 1955, Cline was signed to Four Star Records, but her contract greatly limited her material, stating that she could record only compositions written by Four Star writers. Her first record for Four Star was "[[A Church A Courtroom And Then Good-Bye]]". The song attracted little attention, although it did lead to several appearances on The [[Grand Ole Opry]]. During her contract with Four Star, Cline recorded 51 songs.
 
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==Success of "Walkin' After Midnight"==
 
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The year [[1957]] was a year of great change in Cline's life. Not only did she marry the man she called the love of her life, Charlie Dick, but she skyrocketed to fame when she appeared on the nationally televised ''[[Arthur Godfrey]]'s Talent Scouts'' program on [[January 21]], [[1957]]. She sang a pop tune, "[[Walkin' After Midnight]]", and won. The song became an instant hit and her first album, ''Patsy Cline'' was released. The song reached #2 on the Country charts and went to #12 on the Pop charts. She couldn't follow up "Walkin' After Midnight", however, in part because of an exploitative deal that limited her to songs from one publishing company. <ref> [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:5zkmu3u5andk~T1/ Patsy Cline Biography at All Music Guide] </ref> After the birth of their daughter Julie in 1958, she and Charlie moved to Nashville, Tennessee.
 
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==Comeback into music in the 1960s==
 
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When her Four Star contract expired in 1960, Cline signed with [[Decca Records]]-Nashville, under the direction of legendary  producer [[Owen Bradley]]. He was not only responsible for much of Cline's career, but also for those of [[Brenda Lee]] and [[Loretta Lynn]]. Under Bradley's direction, Cline enjoyed country and pop music success both because of her versatile vocal ability and because of Bradley's arrangements and incorporation of instruments — such as strings — not typically used on country records. This new, more sophisticated instrumental style became known as “The Nashville Sound“, founded by Bradley and RCA’s [[Chet Atkins]], who produced [[Jim Reeves]], [[Skeeter Davis]] and [[Eddy Arnold]].
 
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When Cline made her first recordings in 1955, [[Kitty Wells]], known as "The Queen of Country Music", was the undisputed top female vocalist in the country music field. By the time Cline broke through as a consistent hit maker in 1961, Wells was still country's biggest female star. However, Cline dethroned Wells when, for two years in a row, she won [[Billboard Magazine]]'s "Favorite Female Country & Western Artist" and the 1962 Music Reporter "Star of The Year" award. The two country queens could not have been more different, given that Cline's husky, full-throated, "citified" sound was a marked contrast to Wells' pure-country, quivering vocals. Cline opened the door to greater pop-influence for country female vocalists and proved that she needed no "royal" title other than her name to prove her popularity. Cline, however, did not think of herself as anything other than a country singer. She also hired a new manager/promoter, Randy Hughes.
 
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Cline's first Decca release, in 1961, was the Country/Pop ballad "[[I Fall to Pieces]]." It went on to become Cline's first #1 hit on the Country charts and peaked at #12 on the Pop charts. The song cemented Cline's status as a household name and proved that female Country singers could enjoy just as much crossover success as male counterparts such as [[Jim Reeves]] and [[Eddy Arnold]]. That same year, she was elected as a member of the [[Grand Ole Opry]], the realization of a lifelong dream. Reportedly, she is the only Opry star in history to date to receive membership merely as a result of asking. During this period, Cline befriended and encouraged several women starting out in Country Music, including [[Loretta Lynn]], [[Dottie West]], [[Barbara Mandrell]], [[Jan Howard]] and [[Brenda Lee]], all of whom cite her as an influence in their careers.
 
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[[Image:Patsysinging.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Patsy Cline at the Grand Ole Opry; circa 1961]]
 
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==Near-fatal car accident==
 
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The year 1961 brought the birth of Cline's son Randy. On [[June 14]], Patsy and her brother were involved in a head-on car collision. The impact of the accident threw Patsy through the windshield, nearly killing her. Upon her arrival at the scene, singer [[Dottie West]] picked the glass from Patsy's hair, while Patsy insisted that the other car's driver be treated before her. (Ironically, West would be involved in a serious car accident in 1991 and would not survive). Patsy later stated that she saw the female driver of the other car die before her eyes at the hospital. Suffering from a jagged cut across her forehead that required stitches, a broken wrist, and a [[dislocated hip]], she spent a month in the hospital. When she left the hospital, her forehead was still visibly scarred. For the remainder of her career, she wore wigs to hide the scars and headbands to relieve pressure on her forehead. She returned to the road on crutches.
 
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==Height of her career==
 
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Owing to her determination, outspoken nature, strong will, and a self-confidence that was a somewhat rare trait for women in Country Music at that time, Cline was the first female in the industry to prove that she could surpass her male competitors in terms of record sales and concert tickets. She headlined [[Carnegie Hall]] with fellow Opry members, The [[Hollywood Bowl]] with [[Johnny Cash]], and eventually had her own show in Las Vegas in 1962. Cline is often considered a "heroine" by her female contemporaries, who claim that she broke down doors in the industry for women. Cline also reinvented her style by shedding her Western cowgirl outfits for elegant sequined gowns, cocktail dresses, and spiked heels. Cline's style in fashion and music were mocked at first by many but quickly copied. Reportedly, she was being paid at least $1,000 for her concert appearances towards the end of her life — then an unheard-of fee for women in the Country Music industry.
 
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After the success of "I Fall to Pieces", Cline needed a follow-up, particularly because her near-fatal car accident had required that she spend a month in the hospital, which meant lost time from touring and promotions. The famous follow-up to her hit was written by [[Willie Nelson]] and called "[[Crazy (Willie Nelson song)|Crazy]]", which Cline originally hated. However, when the song was finally recorded, it became a classic and, ultimately, Cline's signature song — the one for which she remains best known. In 1961, Cline released her second album called ''"[[Showcase With the Jordanaires]]"'' and in 1962 released her next single called "[[She's Got You]]", which became another major Country/Pop crossover smash. In 1962, Cline had a string of minor hits, including "Imagine That", "When I Get Thru' With You" and "So Wrong". These were followed by an appearance on ''American Bandstand'' and the release of a third album that August called ''Sentimentally Yours''.
 
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Most albums of unreleased material followed posthumously, starting with "''The Patsy Cline Story''" in the summer of 1963. This album  replaced Cline's planned fourth album, originally to have been released that March and titled ''Faded Love''. All of these tracks were produced by Owen Bradley. The majority featured the legendary back-up vocal group [[The Jordanaires]], who also appeared on many of [[Elvis Presley]]'s albums.
 
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During her short career of only five and a half years, Patsy Cline was awarded 12 prestigious awards for her achievements in music and three more following her death. Most of these were [[Cashbox]], [[Music Reporter]], and [[Billboard Awards]], which were considered high honors during her time. Awards such as the ACM and CMA's were not established until after her death, and the Nashville chapter of The Grammy's wasn't founded until 1964.
 
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==Tragic death==
 
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In the months leading up to her death, Cline confided in her closest friends, [[June Carter]] and [[Dottie West]], that she felt a sense of impending doom and suspected that she was not going to live much longer{{cn}}. On [[March 3]], 1963, Patsy gave her last concert at a benefit show in [[Kansas City, Missouri]] for the family of a disc jockey who had recently died. On the bill with her were [[George Jones]], [[Billy Walker]], Dottie West, [[Cowboy Copas]], [[Hawkshaw Hawkins]], [[Wilma Lee]] and [[Stoney Cooper]]. Afterwards, Patsy boarded a private plane bound for Nashville, flown by her manager Randy Hughes, along with Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins. After stopping to refuel in [[Dyersburg, Tennessee]], the plane took off at 6:07 pm. It flew into severe weather and crashed at 6:20 p.m. (according to Patsy's wrist watch) in a forest just outside of [[Camden, Tennessee]], only 90 miles from the destination. There were no survivors. Patsy Cline was 30 years old. The airport manager suggested that they stay the night after advising of high winds and inclement weather along the flight path, but Hughes responded, "I've already come this far. We'll be there before you know it." Unfortunately, they never made it to Nashville. <ref> [http://www.countrypolitan.com/bio-patsy-cline.php/ Patsy Cline at Countrypolitan.com] </ref>
 
  
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Nashville was in shock over the losses. Patsy Cline's memorial service was attended by thousands. Hours later, news that singer [[Jack Anglin]] had died on the way to her service surfaced, and the Opry mounted a special tribute show to honor the victims. (March, 1963 would prove to be the grimmest month in Opry history, ending with the death of former Opry star [[Texas Ruby]], one of Cline's early influences, in a fire on [[March 29]], bringing the total of Opry star deaths in one month to five.) 
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Cline performed in area variety/talent shows as a girl. As she grew older, she began to play popular nightclubs. To support her family after her father abandoned them, she quit school and worked various jobs, [[soda]]jerking and waitressing by day and singing in clubs at night.
  
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Three songs became hits after Cline's death: "[[Sweet Dreams (Patsy Cline song)|Sweet Dreams]]", "[[Leavin' On Your Mind]]" and "[[Faded Love]]". She was buried in her hometown of Winchester, Virginia where a bell tower, erected in her memory, plays hymns daily at 6:00 p.m., the hour of her death. Her mother had her grave marked with a simple bronze plaque, which reads: "Death Cannot Kill What Never Dies: Love". A memorial marks the place where the plane crashed outside of [[Camden, Tennessee]].
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[[Image:Patsy-Cline-Poster.jpg|thumb|left|Poster shows Patsy Cline in one of her cowgirl outfits.]]
  
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While Cline's life may have ended, her fan following did not. In fact, her life and career have acquired almost iconic status, so that she has become a rather greater and more widely-admired star in death than she was in life.
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Her mother, a gifted seamstress who practiced her craft until her passing in 1998, made Cline's famous western stage outfits. During this period in her early 20s, she met two men who would be responsible for her name changes: she married contractor Gerald Cline in 1953 (whom she later divorced), and she was given the name "Patsy" by her manager, Bill Peer. Numerous appearances on local radio followed, and she attracted a large following in the Virginia/Maryland area. She became a regular on [[Connie B. Gay]]'s ''Town and Country'' television show, broadcast from [[Washington, D.C.]]
  
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==Legacy: 1963-1985==
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In 1955, Cline was signed to Four Star Records, but her contract greatly limited her material, stating that she could record only compositions written by Four Star writers. Her first record for Four Star was "[[A Church A Courtroom And Then Good-Bye]]." The song attracted little attention, although it did lead to several appearances on the [[Grand Ole Opry]]. During her contract with Four Star, Cline recorded 51 songs.
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As the 1960s and early 70s moved on, MCA (new owner of Cline’s former label, "Decca") continued to issue Patsy Cline albums, so that Cline has had several posthumous hits. Her ''Greatest Hit'' album continues to appear on the Country Music charts to this day. It held the record as being the album to stay on the Country Charts the longest, until [[Garth Brooks]] surpassed it in the 1990s. However, it still holds the record for an album by a female artist.
 
  
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In 1973, Cline was elected to The [[Country Music Hall of Fame]] along with guitarist/RCA producer Chet Atkins, making her the first female solo artist in Country Music history to receive that honor. Along with the standard induction bronze plaque, the Hall houses a few of Cline's stage outfits, letters to her fan club president, and personal effects recovered from the crash site, including her "Dixie" cigarette lighter.
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==="Walkin' After Midnight"===
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The year, 1957, was a year of great change in Cline's life. Not only did she marry the man she called the love of her life, Charlie Dick, but she skyrocketed to fame when she appeared on the nationally televised ''[[Arthur Godfrey]]'s Talent Scouts'' program. She sang a pop tune, "[[Walkin' After Midnight]]," and won. The song became an instant hit, reaching number two on the country charts and number 12 on the pop charts. She was unable to follow up "Walkin' After Midnight," however, largely because her contract continued to limit the material she could record.
  
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By the late 70s, Cline’s name occasionally appeared in magazine articles and television interviews by her friends, namely [[Dottie West]] and [[Loretta Lynn]], who credited her with inspiration. However, it was a series of interviews with Loretta Lynn, by writer/author Ellis Nassour, that led Nassour to write a magazine article honoring Cline’s 40th birthday. Later, [[Loretta Lynn]] published her biography, “''Coal Miner’s Daughter''”, which featured a chapter dedicated to her friendship with Cline. Lynn’s [[biopic]] of the same name followed and featured actress [[Beverly D'Angelo]], (who used her own voice) as Cline. Public interest in Patsy Cline began to increase. Nassour then wrote the first Patsy Cline biography, ''[[Honky Tonk Angel: The Intimate Story of Patsy Cline]]'' following a series of interviews with Cline’s family and friends. Since this publication, many other authors have produced bios and articles.
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===Nashville sound===
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When her Four Star contract expired in 1960, Cline signed with [[Decca Records]], under the direction of legendary producer [[Owen Bradley]], who was not only responsible for much of Cline's career, but also for those of singers [[Brenda Lee]] and [[Loretta Lynn]]. Bradley's arrangements incorporated instruments not typically used on country records, such as strings. This new, more sophisticated instrumental style became known as “The Nashville Sound," also associated with RCA’s [[Chet Atkins]], who produced [[Jim Reeves]], [[Skeeter Davis]] and [[Eddy Arnold]].
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[[Image:Patsy-Cline-Art.jpg|thumb|250px|A fan's artistic tribute to Patsy Cline]]
  
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==Movies & documentaries==
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Cline's first Decca release was the 1961 ballad "[[I Fall to Pieces]]." It went on to become Cline's first number one hit on the country charts and peaked at number 12 on the pop charts. The song cemented Cline's status as a household name and proved that female country singers could enjoy just as much crossover success as male counterparts such as [[Jim Reeves]] and [[Eddy Arnold]]. That same year, she was elected as an official member of the [[Grand Ole Opry]], the realization of a lifelong dream.
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[[Image:Jessicapatsy.JPG|frame|left|Jessica Lange as Patsy Cline in the 1985 film ''Sweet Dreams'', a biographical film about her life.]]
 
  
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In 1985, HBO/Tri Star Pictures produced ''[[Sweet Dreams (film)|Sweet Dreams: The Life and Times of Patsy Cline]]'', starring actress [[Jessica Lange]], lip-synching as Cline, actor [[Ed Harris]] as Cline’s husband, Charlie Dick, and actress [[Ann Wedgeworth]] as Hilda Hensley, Cline's mother. The film depicted Cline's marriage to Dick as abusive, falsely portraying Cline as a victim of domestic violence. Cline’s family and friends claimed that this and other sequences in the film were inaccurately fictionalized for [[Hollywood]] and were not pleased with the final product. Cline's mother was quoted in a 1985 edition of [[People magazine]]: "The producers told me they were going to make a love story. I saw the film once. That was enough."  However, the picture became a hit, and Lange was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance. The soundtrack to the film was a great success, and Patsy Cline’s discography began to climb the record charts again.
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Patsy dethroned [[Kitty Wells]] as the "Queen of Country Music" when, for two years in a row in 1961 and 1962, she won [[Billboard Magazine]]'s "Favorite Female Country & Western Artist" title. Cline's husky, full-throated, "citified" sound was a marked contrast to Wells' pure country vocals. Cline, however, did not think of herself as anything other than a country singer.
  
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Hoping to set the record straight on her personal life, Cline’s family and friends have produced a series of videos/documentaries since ''Sweet Dreams'' including ''The Real Patsy Cline'', ''Remembering Patsy'' and most recently ''Sweet Dreams Still: The Live Collection''.
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During this period, Patsy befriended and encouraged several women just starting out in country music, including [[Loretta Lynn]], [[Dottie West]], [[Barbara Mandrell]], [[Jan Howard]] and [[Brenda Lee]], all of whom cite her as an influence in their careers.
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[[Image:Patsystar.jpg|right|thumb|200px|On [[August 3]], [[1999]] Patsy Cline was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In this photo is Cline's husband, Charlie Dick, and their daughter, Julie Fudge.]]
 
  
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==1990-present==
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===Near-fatal car accident===
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In 1992, the U.S. Postal Service honored her, along with Hank Williams, on a U.S. postage stamp, and in 1995, she was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, along with [[Barbra Streisand]] and [[Peggy Lee]].
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The year 1961 also brought the birth of Cline's son Randy. However, on June 14, Patsy and her brother were involved in a head-on car collision. The impact of the accident threw Patsy through the windshield, nearly killing her. Upon her arrival at the scene, singer [[Dottie West]] picked the glass from Patsy's hair, while Patsy insisted that the other car's driver be treated before her.
  
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Also in 1992, MCA released a 4 CD/Cassette Collection of the discography, called ''The Patsy Cline Collection''. This boxed set, which includes a booklet chronicling Cline's career (with many rare photos), remains one of the top 10 bestselling boxed collections in the record industry.
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Patsy later stated that she saw the female driver of the other car die before her eyes at the hospital. Suffering from a jagged cut across her forehead that required stitches, a broken wrist, and a [[dislocated hip]], she spent a month in the hospital. When she left the hospital, her forehead was still visibly scarred. For the remainder of her career, she wore wigs to hide the scars and headbands to relieve pressure on her forehead. She returned to the road on crutches.
  
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In 1993, the Grand Ole Opry opened its museum beside The Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. It includes a permanent Patsy Cline exhibit, displaying several of her awards, stage outfits, wigs, make-up, hairbrush, and a fully-furnished replica of her dream home’s music room.
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===Height of her career===
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[[Image:Patsy-Cline-Dress.jpg|thumb|One of Patsy's stage dresses]]
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Owing to her determination, outspoken nature, strong will, and self-confidence, Cline was the first female in the [[country music]] industry to surpass her male competitors in terms of record sales and concert tickets. She headlined [[Carnegie Hall]] with fellow Opry members, played the [[Hollywood Bowl]] with [[Johnny Cash]], and eventually had her own show in [[Las Vegas]] in 1962. She also reinvented her style by shedding her Western cowgirl outfits for elegant sequined gowns, cocktail dresses, and spiked heels. Cline's style in fashion and music were mocked at first by her critics, but quickly copied.
  
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That same year, the musical play ''Always…Patsy Cline'' premiered, produced by Ted Swidley. The play was based on the real-life story of a [[Houston, Texas]] fan who met Cline after a concert one evening and became a lifelong friend. The play has made its way across the U.S., running off-Broadway in [[New York, New York]] and for over a year at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium where it starred singer [[Mandy Barnett]] and sold out nightly. Other plays based on Cline's life and career have followed. These include ''A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline'' and ''Patsy''!
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After the success of "I Fall to Pieces"—which reached number one on the country charts in 1961 and also hit number six in the pop field—Cline needed a follow-up, particularly because her car accident had required that she spend a month in the hospital, which meant lost time from touring and promotions. It came in the form of her most remembered song, written by [[Willie Nelson]], and called, simply, "[[Crazy (Willie Nelson song)|Crazy]]." Cline reportedly hated the song at first, with its understated, jazz-like quality, lacking in opportunity for her to let loose her vocal power. However, when it was finally recorded, it became a classic and—although it topped out at number two country and number nine pop—the song for which she remains best known.
  
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Following the nomination, Cline became a member of the Texas Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 1994.
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In 1962 Cline released her next single, the Hank Cochran composition "[[She's Got You]]," which hit number one on the country charts and became another crossover hit. In 1962, she had a string of minor hits, including "Imagine That," "When I Get Thru' With You," and "So Wrong." These were followed by an appearance on the teen rock television show American Bandstand and the release of an album, her third, called ''Sentimentally Yours.''
  
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Cline was portrayed on film again in the 1995 CBS bio pic ''Big Dreams and Broken Hearts: The Dottie West Story'', featuring [[Michele Lee]] as Dottie West and actress [[Tere Myers]] as Cline.
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===Untimely death===
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In the months leading up to her death, Cline confided in her closest friends, [[June Carter]] and [[Dottie West]], that she felt a sense of impending doom and suspected that she was not going to live much longer. On March 3, 1963, she gave her last concert at a benefit show in [[Kansas City, Missouri]] for the family of a disc jockey who had recently died. On the bill with her were [[George Jones]], [[Billy Walker]], Dottie West, [[Cowboy Copas]], [[Hawkshaw Hawkins]], and [[Wilma Lee]] & [[Stoney Cooper]]. Afterward, Patsy boarded a private plane bound for [[Nashville]], flown by her manager Randy Hughes, along with Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins. After stopping to refuel in [[Dyersburg, Tennessee]], the plane flew into severe weather and crashed at 6:20 p.m. in a forest just outside of [[Camden, Tennessee]], 90 miles from Nashville. There were no survivors. Nashville was in shock over the loss, and Cline's memorial service was attended by thousands.
  
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In 1997, Cline's recording of "Crazy" was named the #1 Jukebox Hit of All Time. "[[I Fall to Pieces]]" came in at # 17. In 1998, she was nominated to The [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] by a dedicated fan and a street was named after her on the back lot of [[Universal Studios]] in 1999.
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Three Patsy Cline songs became hits after her 's death: "[[Sweet Dreams (Patsy Cline song)|Sweet Dreams]]," "[[Leavin' On Your Mind]]," and "[[Faded Love]]." She was buried in her hometown of Winchester, Virginia where a bell tower erected in her memory plays hymns daily at 6:00 p.m., the hour of her death. Her mother had her grave marked with a simple bronze plaque, which reads: "Death Cannot Kill What Never Dies: Love."
  
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In 1999, [[VH1]] named Cline #11 on its ''“100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll''” and in 2002, [[CMT]] named her #1 on its “''40 Greatest Women of Country Music”.'' She was also honored with the Nashville [[Golden Voice Award]] in its [[Legend Category]] that same year.
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During her short career of only five and a half years, Patsy Cline was awarded 12 prestigious awards for her achievements in music and three more following her death. Most of these were [[Cashbox]], [[Music Reporter]], and [[Billboard Awards]], which were considered high honors during her time.
  
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Cline's hit song "[[I Fall to Pieces]]" was listed at #107 on RIAA's list of [[Songs of the Century]] in 2001.
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==Legacy==
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As the 1960s and early 1970s moved on, MCA (new owner of Decca) continued to issue Patsy Cline albums, so that Cline has had several posthumous hits. Her ''Greatest Hits'' album continues to appear on the country charts.  
  
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[[Grammy Award]] winning country singer [[LeAnn Rimes]] has often been touted to be the heir to Cline's legacy, because her remarkably rich, powerful vocals are quite similar to that of Cline's. In fact, Rimes has released covers of Cline's hit songs such as "Crazy" and "I Fall to Pieces", and has performed "Crazy" at the [[White House]] for [[George W. Bush]] and his wife, [[Laura Bush]]. LeAnn has also recorded the hit song "Blue", which was written for Patsy, but she had died before recording it. It has become of one Rimes's signature country songs today.
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[[Image:Patsy-Cline-halloffame.jpg|thumb|200px|Plaque honors Patsy Cline at the Country Music Hall of Fame.]]
  
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Each year, fans from around the globe gather in Cline’s hometown of Winchester, where she is buried, to pay homage to her during its [[Labor Day]] and [[Memorial Day]] events.  
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*In 1973, Cline was elected to The [[Country Music Hall of Fame]], the first female solo artist in Country Music history to receive that honor.  
  
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Efforts to erect a Patsy Cline museum in Winchester, Virginia, are still in the works. Sadly, a feud between her siblings regarding Patsy's mother's estate put Cline's stage costumes on the auction block in 2003 to pay for court costs. The feud attracted national media attention and the outspoken disappointment of Cline's fans, who had hoped to see the items donated to a museum, as Cline's mother had intended. However, the group behind the museum effort, [[Celebrating Patsy Cline Inc.]], claims that the items are in good hands. Cline's brother died not long after the auction.
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*In 1985, HBO/Tri Star Pictures produced ''[[Sweet Dreams (film)|Sweet Dreams: The Life and Times of Patsy Cline]],'' starring actress [[Jessica Lange]], lip-synching as Cline.
  
−
In 2005, the album ''Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits'' was certified by the RIAA as Diamond, reaching sales of 10 million copies. That same year, that same album was listed in the [[Guinness Book of World Records]] for staying on the overall music charts the longest of any female artist of any music genre in history.
+
*In 1992, the [[U.S. Postal Service]] honored Cline, along with [[Hank Williams]], on a U.S. postage stamp.
  
−
Cline's career and musical influence have been cited as inspirations by countless vocalists, including [[Tammy Wynette]], [[Cyndi Lauper]], [[Marianne Faithful]], [[Patti Smith]], Dottie West, [[Barbara Mandrell]], [[Michelle Branch]], [[Amy Grant]], [[Reba McEntire]], [[Trisha Yearwood]] and [[LeAnn Rimes]]. [[k.d. lang]] built her early career and first 5 albums on a character that was basically a tribute to Cline, both in vocal characteristics, fashion sense (the early Cline image of Western cowgirl skirts and cowboy boots), musical material covered and Lang's band was even named the Re-Clines.
+
*Also in 1992, MCA released a four CD/Cassette package, called ''The Patsy Cline Collection,'' which remains one of the ten bestselling boxed collections in the record industry.
  
−
Perhaps the greatest testament to her legacy, aside from her discography, is a fan base that continues to grow throughout the years, spanning generations and continents.
+
*In 1995, Cline received a [[Grammy]] Lifetime Achievement Award.  
  
−
==Family today==
+
*The musical play ''Always… Patsy Cline'' was based on the story of a [[Houston, Texas]] fan who met Cline after a concert one evening and became a lifelong friend.  Other plays based on Cline's life and career have followed. These include ''A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline'' and ''Patsy''!
−
In December 1998, Cline’s mother, Hilda Hensley, died in Winchester, Virginia of natural causes (Cline's father had died in the 1950s). Hensley rarely granted live interviews.[[Image:PatsyClinesMother.JPG|thumb|left|Cline's mother, Hilda Hensley, remembering her beloved daughter (1985)]] Because Cline and her mother were so close in age, Cline often commented that her mother was also her best friend and the one person in life she could truly count on. Cline's brother died in 2004, though her sister still lives in Virginia.
 
  
−
Patsy's husband, Charlie Dick, resides in Nashville, where he continues to be a well-known member of the Country Music community, producing documentaries on Cline and other artists through his video production company. Dick is very involved with Cline's fan base and considers them an extension of family, attending many fan functions. Daughter Julie joins him in representing Cline’s estate at public functions and has four children of her own (one, Virginia, named for Cline, was killed in an automobile accident in 1994) and three grandchildren, making Patsy Cline a great-grandmother. Son Randy was the drummer of a Nashville band and still resides in Nashville, although he chooses not to live in the limelight. Dick's brother, Mel, is President of the "Always...Patsy Cline Fan Club".  
+
*In 1997, Cline's recording of "Crazy" was named the number one Jukebox Hit of All Time. "[[I Fall to Pieces]]" came in at number 17.
  
−
After Cline’s death, Charlie Dick married singer Jamie Ryan in 1965, but the two divorced a short time later. Ironically, Jamie Ryan provided the vocals for two songs in the film ''Sweet Dreams'': "Bill Bailey (Won't You Please Come Home)" (a Cline concert favorite for many years, she finally recorded the song in 1963, during what would turn out to be her final series of recording sessions for Decca); and "Blue Christmas" (a tune that Cline never recorded). Ryan's sound is so close to Cline's that many fans search Cline's discography trying to find these two songs but soon discover that these tracks were recorded solely for the film and were not included on the soundtrack.
+
*In 1998, she was nominated to The [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] and a street was named after her on the back lot of [[Universal Studios]] in 1999.
  
−
==Videos==
+
*In 1999, [[VH1]] named Cline number 11 on its ''“100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll''.”
−
* Watch on [[You Tube|You Tube.com]] three minutes of the movie '''''[[Sweet Dreams (film)|Sweet Dreams]]'''''. The film was a biographical movie about Cline's lfe made in 1985, starring [[Jessica Lange]] as Patsy Cline and [[Ed Harris]] at Cline's husband. The film nominated Lange for an [[Academy Award]] and was a big hit at the box office. Go to it by clicking [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbYqAbATsOY&mode=related&search= Here].  
 
  
−
* Also from [[You Tube]], watch four minutes of another part of the film '''''[[Sweet Dreams (film)|Sweet Dreams]]''''', when [[Jessica Lange]], performs the song "[[Sweet Dreams (Patsy Cline song)|Sweet Dreams]]" at the [[Grand Ole Opry]].
+
*In 2002, [[CMT]] named her number one on its “''40 Greatest Women of Country Music''.”
  
−
==Trivia==
+
*In 2005, the album ''Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits'' was certified by the RIAA as Diamond, reaching sales of ten million copies. That same year, that same album was listed in the [[Guinness Book of World Records]] for staying on the overall music charts the longest of any female artist of any music genre in history.
−
* Patsy Cline was voted at #1 on CMT's list of the ''40 Greatest Women of Country Music''. #2 on the list was [[Tammy Wynette]] and #9 on the list was [[Connie Smith]].
 
−
* She was a collector of salt and pepper shakers.
 
−
* Patsy Cline was voted at #11 on [[VH1]]'s list of ''100 Greatest Women of Rock'N Roll''.
 
−
* Cline's dreamhome had gold-dust sprinkled on the tile in her bathroom.
 
−
* She helped write two songs for herself during her lifetime, none of which became hits. These two songs were "A Stranger In My Arms" and "Don't Ever Leave Me Again".
 
−
*''Three Cigarettes In An Ashtray'' appeared in popular [[videogame]] [[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]], playing on fictional [[country music]] radio station [[K-ROSE]].
 
  
−
==What others have said==
+
Cline's career and musical influence have been cited as inspirations by countless vocalists, including [[Tammy Wynette]], [[Cyndi Lauper]], [[Marianne Faithful]], [[Patti Smith]], Dottie West, [[Barbara Mandrell]], [[Michelle Branch]], [[Amy Grant]], [[Reba McEntire]], [[Trisha Yearwood]] and [[LeAnn Rimes]]. Singer [[K.D. Lang]] built her early career and first five albums on a character that was in large part a tribute to Cline in vocal characteristics, fashion sense (cowgirl skirts and cowboy boots), and musical material. Lang's band was even named the Re-Clines.
−
*"She set trends and patterns that will be followed as long as there is good music. If they’re going to do it right they’ll have to do it the Patsy Cline way because she couldn’t be beat!" - [[Carl Perkins]], legendary country/rockabilly singer
 
−
 
 
−
*"When I first came out with Blue, everyone compared me to Patsy Cline, which is the biggest honor, 'cause I've always looked up to her." - [[LeAnn Rimes]], Modern Legend Country Superstar
 
−
 
 
−
*"All Patsy Cline had to do was sing somebody else’s song and her version would outsell theirs because it would be so good!" - [[George Jones]], legendary Country Music icon
 
−
 
 
−
*"I never met her and that is certainly my loss. Patsy Cline is and perhaps will always be the standard bearer for all female Country singers. She truly has been my inspiration." - [[Tammy Wynette]], legendary Country Music icon
 
−
 
 
−
*"Patsy Cline? Larger than life! She taught me emotion: raw, sincere, unashamed.”'' - [[Reba McEntire]], Country Music superstar
 
−
 
 
−
*"She probably had the best pipes ever." - [[Toby Keith]], Country Music superstar
 
−
 
 
−
*"There’s never going to be another Patsy Cline. Without her, I don’t think I would have lasted." - [[Loretta Lynn]], legendary Country Music icon
 
−
 
 
−
*"The great Patsy Cline…she made Country Music hip and cool." - [[Marianne Faithful]], legendary British rocker
 
−
 
 
−
*"She’s one of those talents that only comes once in our lifetimes." - [[Roy Clark]], legendary Country Music icon
 
−
 
 
−
*"Oh my God. I love Patsy!" - [[Cyndi Lauper]], legendary Rock/Pop singer
 
−
 
 
−
*"The first time I heard her voice I just fell in love with it because she just had this sound that was just heavenly! She was just like ‘Hey, I can sing and I‘m a girl. I love it, so just don‘t mess with me. Just let me sing and do my thing!’" - [[Dolly Parton]], legendary Country Music icon
 
−
 
 
−
*"I think Patsy Cline made Country Music classy." - [[Melissa Etheridge]], legendary Rock/Pop singer
 
−
 
 
−
*"I guess you could say that I’m the luckiest girl because I got to meet my true hero. She was a precious person." - [[Dottie West]], legendary Country Music singer
 
  
 
==Discography==
 
==Discography==
Line 157: Line 97:
 
|-
 
|-
 
|-bgcolor="#FOF8FF"
 
|-bgcolor="#FOF8FF"
−
| [[1961 in music|1961]] || "[[I Fall to Pieces]]" || '''#1''' || 12 || 6 || -|| ''[[Showcase With the Jordanaires|Showcase]]'' ||
+
| [[1961 in music|1961]] || "[[I Fall to Pieces]]" || #1 || 12 || 6 || -|| ''[[Showcase With the Jordanaires|Showcase]]'' ||
 
|-
 
|-
 
|-bgcolor="#FOF8FF"
 
|-bgcolor="#FOF8FF"
Line 166: Line 106:
 
|-
 
|-
 
|-bgcolor="#FOF8FF"
 
|-bgcolor="#FOF8FF"
−
| [[1962 in music|1962]] || "[[She's Got You]]" || '''#1''' || 14 || 3 || 43 || ''[[Sentimentally Yours]]'' ||
+
| [[1962 in music|1962]] || "[[She's Got You]]" || #1 || 14 || 3 || 43 || ''[[Sentimentally Yours]]'' ||
 
|-
 
|-
 
|-bgcolor="#FOF8FF"
 
|-bgcolor="#FOF8FF"
Line 218: Line 158:
  
 
===Selected Albums===
 
===Selected Albums===
−
{| class="wikitable"
+
Studio albums released during her lifetime:
−
|-
+
 
−
| '''Year''' || '''Cover''' || '''Album''' || <small> [[Country Tracks chart|US Country Albums]] </small> ||
+
* ''Patsy Cline'' (1957)
−
|-
+
* ''Showcase With the Jordanaires'' (1961)
−
| [[1957]] || [[Image:patsyLP.jpg|70px]] || ''Patsy Cline'' || - ||
+
* ''Sentimentally Yours'' (1962)
−
|-
 
−
| [[1961]] || [[Image:Showcase With the Jordanaires 2.jpg|70px]] || ''[[Showcase With the Jordanaires]]'' || '''#63''' ||
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[1962]] || [[Image:Yours.jpg|70px]] || ''[[Sentimentally Yours]]'' || - ||
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[1963]] || [[Image:Cline Story.jpg|70px]] || ''[[The Patsy Cline Story]]'' || '''#9''' ||
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[1964]] || [[Image:PatsyClinePort.jpg|70px]] || ''A Portait'' || - ||
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[1965]] || [[Image:PatsyLittle.jpg|70px]] || ''That's How a Heartache Begins'' || - ||
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[1967]] || [[Image:Hits F.jpg|70px]] || ''[[12 Greatest Hits]]'' || '''#17''' ||
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[1980]] || - || ''Always'' || '''#27''' ||
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[1998]] || [[Image:Patsy Cline-Ultimate Collection -Crimson- (album cover).jpg|70px]] || ''[[The Ultimate Collection (Patsy Cline)|The Ultimate Collection]]'' || '''#49''' ||
 
−
|-
 
−
| [[2001]] || - || ''Remembering Patsy'' || - ||
 
−
|}
 
  
−
==Cover Versions of Patsy Cline Songs==
+
Selected other albums:
−
* "[[Walkin' After Midnight]]" was recorded by [[Kellie Pickler]] and [[Madeleine Peyroux]]. A live version of the song was covered by [[Bryan Adams]] and [[Garth Brooks]].
+
* The Patsy Cline Story (1964)
−
* "[[I Fall to Pieces]]" was covered by the Country artists [[LeAnn Rimes]], [[Lynn Anderson]], [[Linda Ronstadt]], [[Loretta Lynn]], [[Ray Price]] and [[Willie Nelson]]. In 2003 it was covered by [[Natalie Cole]] for a tribute CD to Patsy Cline.
+
* Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits (1967)
−
* "[[Crazy (Willie Nelson song)|Crazy]]" (written by Willie Nelson) has been covered by various artists like [[Kenny Rogers]], [[LeAnn Rimes]], [[Loretta Lynn]], [[Dottie West]], [[Wanda Jackson]] and [[Julio Iglesias]].
+
* Always (1980)
−
* "[[She's Got You]]" was recorded by [[Loretta Lynn]], [[Jimmy Buffett]], [[Dottie West]], [[Lee Ann Womack]] and [[LeAnn Rimes]]. It became a #1 hit for Loretta Lynn in 1979.
+
* Live at the Opry (1988)
−
* "[[Leavin' On Your Mind]]" has been covered by [[LeAnn Rimes]] and [[Loretta Lynn]].
+
* The Patsy Cline Collection (1991)
−
* "[[Sweet Dreams]]", originally a hit for [[Faron Young]] in the 1950's,  has been remade by both [[Emmylou Harris]] and [[Reba McEntire]] became hits for both of them in the 1970s.  Other versions include [[Skeeter Davis]] and the songwriter, [[Don Gibson]].
 
−
* "[[Faded Love]]" has been recorded by [[Ray Price]], [[Willie Nelson]] and [[Loretta Lynn]]. It was originally a hit for [[Bob Wills]].
 
−
* "[[Imagine That]]" was covered by [[Sara Evans]] and was in her album ''[[Three Chords and the Truth]]''.
 
  
−
==Record Companies==
+
==Further reading==
−
* Four Star Records (1955&ndash;1960)
 
−
*[[Decca Records]] (1960&ndash;1963)
 
  
−
==References==
+
* Bego, Mark. ''I Fall to Pieces: The Music and the Life of Patsy Cline.''  Adams Media Corp; 1st ed., 1995. ISBN 9781558504769
−
<!—<nowiki>
+
* George-Warren, Holly, and Laura Levine. ''Honky-Tonk Heroes & Hillbilly Angels: The Pioneers of Country & Western Music.'' Houghton Mifflin, 2006. ISBN 9780618191000
−
  See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes for an explanation of how
+
* Jones, Margaret. ''Patsy: The Life and Times of Patsy Cline.'' HarperCollins Publishers, 1994. ISBN 9780060166960
−
  to generate footnotes using the <ref> and </ref> tags, and the template below
+
* Nassour, Ellis. ''Honky Tonk Angel: The Intimate Story of Patsy Cline.'' St. Martin's Press, 1993. ISBN 9780312088705
−
</nowiki>—>
 
−
{{FootnotesSmall|resize=92%}}
 
  
−
==Further reading==
+
−
*''Honky Tonk Angel: The Intimate Story of Patsy Cline'', Nassour, Ellis
 
−
*''Country Music: The Rough Guide; Wolff, Kurt; Penguin Publishing''
 
  
−
==External links==
+
[[Category:Musicians]]
−
{{wikiquote}}
 
−
* [http://www.patsified.com/ Patsified: A Celebration of Patsy Cline]
 
−
* [http://www.patsycline.com/ Patsy Cline Home Page]
 
−
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:9dxvadokv8w6~T5 Patsy Cline Discography at All Music Guide]
 
  
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[[Category:Music]]
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{{Credit|9318932}}
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[[Category:Art, music, literature, sports and leisure]]
 

Latest revision as of 16:47, 21 November 2022

Patsy Cline

Patsy Cline (Sept. 8, 1932—March 5, 1963) was a country music singer who enjoyed pop music cross-over success during the era of the Nashville Sound in the early 1960s. She is considered one of the most influential female vocalists of the twentieth century.

Cline was best known for her full throated, emotionally expressive voice, which differentiated her from other female country singers of her day. Many of her songs have been identified as classics. Her signature songs include "Crazy," "I Fall to Pieces," "She's Got You," "Sweet Dreams," and "Walkin' After Midnight." Millions of her albums have been sold since her death in a 1963 plane crash at the age of 30 during the height of her fame, which has given her an iconic fan status.

Early years

Born Virginia Patterson Hensley on September 8, 1932, in Winchester, Virginia, Patsy Cline was the daughter of Sam and Hilda Hensley, a blacksmith and a seamstress, respectively. She was the eldest of three children. With dreams of stardom since an early age, Cline often proclaimed that she would one day be famous. She often sang in church with her mother and admired film stars such as Judy Garland and Shirley Temple. A serious illness as a child caused a throat infection which, according to Cline, resulted in her booming, husky voice. She was well-rounded in her musical tastes and credited a range of singers from Kay Starr to Hank Williams for influencing her.

Cline performed in area variety/talent shows as a girl. As she grew older, she began to play popular nightclubs. To support her family after her father abandoned them, she quit school and worked various jobs, sodajerking and waitressing by day and singing in clubs at night.

Poster shows Patsy Cline in one of her cowgirl outfits.

Her mother, a gifted seamstress who practiced her craft until her passing in 1998, made Cline's famous western stage outfits. During this period in her early 20s, she met two men who would be responsible for her name changes: she married contractor Gerald Cline in 1953 (whom she later divorced), and she was given the name "Patsy" by her manager, Bill Peer. Numerous appearances on local radio followed, and she attracted a large following in the Virginia/Maryland area. She became a regular on Connie B. Gay's Town and Country television show, broadcast from Washington, D.C.

In 1955, Cline was signed to Four Star Records, but her contract greatly limited her material, stating that she could record only compositions written by Four Star writers. Her first record for Four Star was "A Church A Courtroom And Then Good-Bye." The song attracted little attention, although it did lead to several appearances on the Grand Ole Opry. During her contract with Four Star, Cline recorded 51 songs.

"Walkin' After Midnight"

The year, 1957, was a year of great change in Cline's life. Not only did she marry the man she called the love of her life, Charlie Dick, but she skyrocketed to fame when she appeared on the nationally televised Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts program. She sang a pop tune, "Walkin' After Midnight," and won. The song became an instant hit, reaching number two on the country charts and number 12 on the pop charts. She was unable to follow up "Walkin' After Midnight," however, largely because her contract continued to limit the material she could record.

Nashville sound

When her Four Star contract expired in 1960, Cline signed with Decca Records, under the direction of legendary producer Owen Bradley, who was not only responsible for much of Cline's career, but also for those of singers Brenda Lee and Loretta Lynn. Bradley's arrangements incorporated instruments not typically used on country records, such as strings. This new, more sophisticated instrumental style became known as “The Nashville Sound," also associated with RCA’s Chet Atkins, who produced Jim Reeves, Skeeter Davis and Eddy Arnold.

A fan's artistic tribute to Patsy Cline

Cline's first Decca release was the 1961 ballad "I Fall to Pieces." It went on to become Cline's first number one hit on the country charts and peaked at number 12 on the pop charts. The song cemented Cline's status as a household name and proved that female country singers could enjoy just as much crossover success as male counterparts such as Jim Reeves and Eddy Arnold. That same year, she was elected as an official member of the Grand Ole Opry, the realization of a lifelong dream.

Patsy dethroned Kitty Wells as the "Queen of Country Music" when, for two years in a row in 1961 and 1962, she won Billboard Magazine's "Favorite Female Country & Western Artist" title. Cline's husky, full-throated, "citified" sound was a marked contrast to Wells' pure country vocals. Cline, however, did not think of herself as anything other than a country singer.

During this period, Patsy befriended and encouraged several women just starting out in country music, including Loretta Lynn, Dottie West, Barbara Mandrell, Jan Howard and Brenda Lee, all of whom cite her as an influence in their careers.

Near-fatal car accident

The year 1961 also brought the birth of Cline's son Randy. However, on June 14, Patsy and her brother were involved in a head-on car collision. The impact of the accident threw Patsy through the windshield, nearly killing her. Upon her arrival at the scene, singer Dottie West picked the glass from Patsy's hair, while Patsy insisted that the other car's driver be treated before her.

Patsy later stated that she saw the female driver of the other car die before her eyes at the hospital. Suffering from a jagged cut across her forehead that required stitches, a broken wrist, and a dislocated hip, she spent a month in the hospital. When she left the hospital, her forehead was still visibly scarred. For the remainder of her career, she wore wigs to hide the scars and headbands to relieve pressure on her forehead. She returned to the road on crutches.

Height of her career

One of Patsy's stage dresses

Owing to her determination, outspoken nature, strong will, and self-confidence, Cline was the first female in the country music industry to surpass her male competitors in terms of record sales and concert tickets. She headlined Carnegie Hall with fellow Opry members, played the Hollywood Bowl with Johnny Cash, and eventually had her own show in Las Vegas in 1962. She also reinvented her style by shedding her Western cowgirl outfits for elegant sequined gowns, cocktail dresses, and spiked heels. Cline's style in fashion and music were mocked at first by her critics, but quickly copied.

After the success of "I Fall to Pieces"—which reached number one on the country charts in 1961 and also hit number six in the pop field—Cline needed a follow-up, particularly because her car accident had required that she spend a month in the hospital, which meant lost time from touring and promotions. It came in the form of her most remembered song, written by Willie Nelson, and called, simply, "Crazy." Cline reportedly hated the song at first, with its understated, jazz-like quality, lacking in opportunity for her to let loose her vocal power. However, when it was finally recorded, it became a classic and—although it topped out at number two country and number nine pop—the song for which she remains best known.

In 1962 Cline released her next single, the Hank Cochran composition "She's Got You," which hit number one on the country charts and became another crossover hit. In 1962, she had a string of minor hits, including "Imagine That," "When I Get Thru' With You," and "So Wrong." These were followed by an appearance on the teen rock television show American Bandstand and the release of an album, her third, called Sentimentally Yours.

Untimely death

In the months leading up to her death, Cline confided in her closest friends, June Carter and Dottie West, that she felt a sense of impending doom and suspected that she was not going to live much longer. On March 3, 1963, she gave her last concert at a benefit show in Kansas City, Missouri for the family of a disc jockey who had recently died. On the bill with her were George Jones, Billy Walker, Dottie West, Cowboy Copas, Hawkshaw Hawkins, and Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper. Afterward, Patsy boarded a private plane bound for Nashville, flown by her manager Randy Hughes, along with Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins. After stopping to refuel in Dyersburg, Tennessee, the plane flew into severe weather and crashed at 6:20 p.m. in a forest just outside of Camden, Tennessee, 90 miles from Nashville. There were no survivors. Nashville was in shock over the loss, and Cline's memorial service was attended by thousands.

Three Patsy Cline songs became hits after her 's death: "Sweet Dreams," "Leavin' On Your Mind," and "Faded Love." She was buried in her hometown of Winchester, Virginia where a bell tower erected in her memory plays hymns daily at 6:00 p.m., the hour of her death. Her mother had her grave marked with a simple bronze plaque, which reads: "Death Cannot Kill What Never Dies: Love."

During her short career of only five and a half years, Patsy Cline was awarded 12 prestigious awards for her achievements in music and three more following her death. Most of these were Cashbox, Music Reporter, and Billboard Awards, which were considered high honors during her time.

Legacy

As the 1960s and early 1970s moved on, MCA (new owner of Decca) continued to issue Patsy Cline albums, so that Cline has had several posthumous hits. Her Greatest Hits album continues to appear on the country charts.

Plaque honors Patsy Cline at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
  • In 1973, Cline was elected to The Country Music Hall of Fame, the first female solo artist in Country Music history to receive that honor.
  • In 1985, HBO/Tri Star Pictures produced Sweet Dreams: The Life and Times of Patsy Cline, starring actress Jessica Lange, lip-synching as Cline.
  • In 1992, the U.S. Postal Service honored Cline, along with Hank Williams, on a U.S. postage stamp.
  • Also in 1992, MCA released a four CD/Cassette package, called The Patsy Cline Collection, which remains one of the ten bestselling boxed collections in the record industry.
  • In 1995, Cline received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
  • The musical play Always… Patsy Cline was based on the story of a Houston, Texas fan who met Cline after a concert one evening and became a lifelong friend. Other plays based on Cline's life and career have followed. These include A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline and Patsy!
  • In 1997, Cline's recording of "Crazy" was named the number one Jukebox Hit of All Time. "I Fall to Pieces" came in at number 17.
  • In 1998, she was nominated to The Hollywood Walk of Fame and a street was named after her on the back lot of Universal Studios in 1999.
  • In 1999, VH1 named Cline number 11 on its “100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll.”
  • In 2002, CMT named her number one on its “40 Greatest Women of Country Music.”
  • In 2005, the album Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits was certified by the RIAA as Diamond, reaching sales of ten million copies. That same year, that same album was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for staying on the overall music charts the longest of any female artist of any music genre in history.

Cline's career and musical influence have been cited as inspirations by countless vocalists, including Tammy Wynette, Cyndi Lauper, Marianne Faithful, Patti Smith, Dottie West, Barbara Mandrell, Michelle Branch, Amy Grant, Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood and LeAnn Rimes. Singer K.D. Lang built her early career and first five albums on a character that was in large part a tribute to Cline in vocal characteristics, fashion sense (cowgirl skirts and cowboy boots), and musical material. Lang's band was even named the Re-Clines.

Discography

Singles

Year Single US Country Singles US Pop Singles US AC Singles UK Singles Album
1955 "A Church, a Courtroom & Then Goodbye" - - - - The Patsy Cline Collection
1957 "Walkin' After Midnight" 2 12 - - Patsy Cline
1957 "A Poor Man's Roses (Or a Rich Man's Gold)" 14 - - - Patsy Cline
1961 "I Fall to Pieces" #1 12 6 - Showcase
1961 "Crazy" 2 9 2 - Showcase
1961 "Who Can I Count On" - 99 - - The Patsy Cline Collection
1962 "She's Got You" #1 14 3 43 Sentimentally Yours
1962 "Strange" - 97 - - Sentimentally Yours
1962 "Heartaches" - 73 - 37 Sentimentally Yours
1962 "Imagine That" 21 90 - - The Patsy Cline Story
1962 "So Wrong" 14 85 - - 12 Greatest Hits
1962 "When I Get Thru' With You" 10 53 - - 20th Century Masters
1963 "Leavin' On Your Mind" 8 83 - - The Patsy Cline Story
1963 "Sweet Dreams" 5 44 15 - The Patsy Cline Story
1963 "Faded Love" 7 96 - - The Patsy Cline Story
1964 "He Called Me Baby" 23 - - - A Portrait
1964 "When You Need a Laugh" 47 - - - A Portrait
1969 "Anytime" 73 - - - Sentimentally Yours
1978 "Life's Railway to Heaven" 98 - - - Best of Patsy Cline
1980 "Always" 18 - - - Anytime
1981 "I Fall to Pieces" (with Jim Reeves) 61 - - - Heartaches
1981 "Have You Ever Been Lonely (Have You Ever Been Blue)" 5 - - - Showcase
1999 "There He Goes" 70 - - - The Patsy Cline Collection

Selected Albums

Studio albums released during her lifetime:

  • Patsy Cline (1957)
  • Showcase With the Jordanaires (1961)
  • Sentimentally Yours (1962)

Selected other albums:

  • The Patsy Cline Story (1964)
  • Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits (1967)
  • Always (1980)
  • Live at the Opry (1988)
  • The Patsy Cline Collection (1991)

Further reading

  • Bego, Mark. I Fall to Pieces: The Music and the Life of Patsy Cline. Adams Media Corp; 1st ed., 1995. ISBN 9781558504769
  • George-Warren, Holly, and Laura Levine. Honky-Tonk Heroes & Hillbilly Angels: The Pioneers of Country & Western Music. Houghton Mifflin, 2006. ISBN 9780618191000
  • Jones, Margaret. Patsy: The Life and Times of Patsy Cline. HarperCollins Publishers, 1994. ISBN 9780060166960
  • Nassour, Ellis. Honky Tonk Angel: The Intimate Story of Patsy Cline. St. Martin's Press, 1993. ISBN 9780312088705

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