Here are ten things you may not know about the country legend. Born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Winchester, Cline began singing professionally to help support her family. The young girl took to music naturally, learning to play piano by ear and finding her voice at an early age. COPYRIGHT 2023, WOMG. Charlie Dick, Patsy Cline's widower, died in his sleep aged 81 on the morning of Sunday 8 November, according to Billboard. The rising star was only 30 years old at the time of her passing. and hid his habits by licking on drug-laced lollipops.. By all accounts, according to Sweet Dreams: The World of Patsy Cline,her appearance on Talent Scouts was the pivotal moment in her career. Most recently, Cline was the subject of a Lifetime biopic titled "Patsy & Loretta," which detailed her bond with fellow iconic. Cline gave birth to their first child in 1958, a daughter, and was for all intents and purposes a working single mother. Judgement of the pilot in initiating flight in the existing conditions. Copas and Hawkins joined Cline and Hughes on the plane, which departed Kansas City at around 2PM. She scored hits with "Sweet Dreams" and "Faded Love" after her death, and her legend grew over the years, resulting in a long string of posthumoushits collections and live releases. 1 hit in "She's Got You." Times were tough for the Hensleys in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia during the Great Depression, but music was a constant. Cline landed two more hits in 1962 with "When I Get Thru With You" and "So Wrong," which turned out to be some of the final hits of her lifetime. "No, I've got four records made," Cline responded. Eventually, she developed a good style.". Sweet Dreams: Directed by Karel Reisz. of the wreckage disclosed that the aircraft was intact and the engine was developing substantial power at initial impact She toured with the Johnny Cash Show in 1962 and played venues like Carnegie Hall. Also on board were fellow perfomers Lloyd Estel Copas (Cowboy Copas) and Harold Franklin Hawkins (Hawkshaw Hawkins), The pilot was Cline's manager (and Copas's son-in-law) Randy Hughes. 5, 1963, first responders arrived on the "very dreadful" scene assured on sight no one could have. As she sees it, that infection gave Hensley the memorable, booming singing voice that one day would find her "Walkin' After Midnight" on national television. Three years later she became a regular performer on the Grand Ole Opry radio broadcasts from Nashville, Tennessee, which largely defined the country music genre. Patsys friends, Loretta Lynn and Ray Walker, have all since recalled Patsy telling them, months before her last performance, that she felt a sense of impending death. Patsy Cline, original name Virginia Patterson Hensley, (born September 8, 1932, Winchester, Virginia, U.S.died March 5, 1963, near Camden, Tennessee), American country music singer whose talent and wide-ranging appeal made her one of the classic performers of the genre, bridging the gap between country music and more mainstream audiences. By 1957, the marriage ended, but the name stuck. This is thetragic real-life story of Patsy Cline. Although Clines condition seemed grim, she pulled through after spending a month in the hospital recovering from multiple injuries. Just over 30 years later, Patsy tragically perished in a plane crash in Camden, Tennessee. To this day, the cause of the plane crash was blamed on the inexperience of the pilot paired with poor flying conditions. When they landed at that airport, they were only 90 miles away from home. Then, she went back to Winchester for burial at Shenandoah Memorial Park. Age of Death. And I wouldn't want to go against her in any way," said Reba McEntire, country music artist, recalling Patsy Cline in Patsy Cline: American Masters. Since her death in 1963 at age 30 in a private airplane crash at the height of her career, she has been . Cline's first professional performances began at local . In case you need a refresher on what happened that night, here are a few facts: As previously mentioned, many focus on the circumstances surrounding the crash and often wonder what if?. reports of existing and forecast terminal and area weather, current SIGMET [?] Whereas the story of her loss of life is well-known to many music followers, [] Most observers generally agree Clines plane shouldnt have taken off in the weather conditions the inexperienced pilot, her manager, Randy Hughes, faced that day. Patsy Cline MuseumPatsy Cline died at 6:20 pm, as marked on this watch which broke at the exact moment her plane collided with the earth. She was laid to rest at Shenandoah Memorial Park in Winchester, Virginia, as she wished. In 1996, first responder, Jerry Phifer, gave an interview to share some perspective of the time around the crash. But, eager to get home, they pushed ahead. Her musical talent was likely a gift she inherited from her amateur singer father who, unfortunately, was also abusive, according to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Cline had been in Kansas City to perform at a benefit forthe family of DJ Jack "Cactus" Call, who had died in a car crash thatJanuary. Thankfully, Cline got over the fever, but her life was still forever affected by it. She shared premonitions of her early death with fellow country stars June Carter and Loretta Lynn. When the crash was discovered the next morning, searchers found a wing embedded in a tree and the engine in a six-foot hole in the ground, suggesting it had plunged head-first into the ground. Though enrolled in the local high school, Ginny never attended. Charlie was described as "pretty wild," with a "reputation for drinking, picking fights, and being a ladies man." Cline was still on crutches when she returned to the studio to record "Crazy," written by a young Nashville songwriter namedWillie Nelson. 5, 1963, the plane carrying country stars Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas, and Hawkshaw Hawkins crashed in Tennessee, killing everyone on board. If thats wrong, Im sorry, she concluded. Sam could barely provide his family with running water or an indoor toilet, yet a radio was always a staple and sometimes even a piano, according to the Baltimore Sun. Although Cline preferred traditional country music, which typically included vocalizations such as yodeling, the country music industrycoming into increasing competition with rock and rollwas trying to increase its appeal to a more mainstream audience. Patsy Cline singing I Fall To Pieces on February 23, 1963, a few weeks before her death. Non-instrument pilot attempted visual flight in adverse weather conditions, resulting in a loss of control. March 5, 1963. She Was a Favorite Among Songwriters 1960:. The most popular female country singer in recording history, Patsy Cline achieved icon status after her tragic early death at age thirty in 1963. This photo shows debris spread out across the crash scene and the mangled red-and-white Beechcraft Bonanza plane Credit: Getty Images - Getty. Her mother, Hilda Patterson Hensley, was just 16 years old when "Ginny" was born, but her father, Sam Hensley, was in his forties when she arrived in the world. The songreached No. In 1954, Cline signed with Four Star Records, an independent label owned by William McCall, a talent scout with a "spotty reputation." The Los Angeles County coroner later ruled that the 48-year-old's death was an accidental drowning with the "effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use" as contributing factors . Sign up for daily stories delivered to your inbox. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Cline and her brother, Sam, were involved in a head-on car crash that threw Cline into the windshield. There, Cline closed the show with some of her hits including "She's Got You," "Sweet Dreams," "Crazy," and "I Fall to Pieces." By the time she had reached her early 20s, Cline was promoting herself as Patsy and was on her way toward country music stardom. indicated his intention to continue the flight and would return if he found it necessary. Patsy Cline Plane Crash - Interview with Jerry Phifer. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Unfortunately, the crash was reportedly due to the inexperience of the pilot, Clines manager, Randy Hughes. But then, shortly after takeoff, Hughes became lost in the clouds. "And while Patsy loved Charlie Dick to distraction, he was given to drink. That weekend, she played shows in New Orleans and Birmingham, and then on March 3, she headed to Kansas City for a benefit concert. Singer Dottie West, worried about her good friend flying, offered Cline a car ride back to Nashville, according to Behind the Grand Ole Opry Curtain: Tales of Romance and Tragedy. At the time, Cline was just 28 years old, but she seemed to have an eerie sense of what was to come. There, she boarded a private plane, owned by her manager, Randy Hughes, who would be piloting the aircraft. He essentially forced the country music legend to learn to perform and pushed her on stage for the first time when she was 27. Cline finally earned a membership in the Grand Ole' Opry, a lifelong dream of hers. Patsy Cline was a singer whose biggest hits"Walkin' After Midnight," "I Fall to Pieces," and "Crazy"embody the so-called Nashville Sound, a synthesis of country and popular music. Copas (Cowboy Copas) and Harold Franklin Hawkins (Hawkshaw Hawkins), The pilot was Cline's manager (and Copas's son-in-law) What if Cline had taken Wests offer to ride in her car to Nashville? This article was most recently revised and updated by, Who Said It? "The doctor put me in an oxygen tent. She was back to performing just weeks later, and actually recorded her now-timeless hit, Crazy, while on crutches. Though she became known around the world as Patsy, Cline was born Virginia Patterson Hensley. She and her brother got into a head-on collision in Nashville. pilot taxied out and took off. This story was originally written by Gayle Thompson, and revised by Annie Zaleski. In 1954, Patsy finally signed with Four Star Records. An icon known for her smooth, sentimental vocals and for blazing a path for women in country music, Patsy Cline's life story is the epitome of a country music song sweet dreamsof love and fame punctuated by tough breaks and hard times, crazy adventures with friends and lovers underlined by dirty deals, and cheating death. Then, browse these 44 fabulous pictures of Dolly Parton. "It seemed like every time Patsy tried to stand up someone tried to knock her back down," country singer Bill Anderson, a contemporary of Cline's, told CBS News. Updates? Peer encouraged her to take on a stage name, and Patsy an homage to her middle name was starting to emerge. Although she was ill with the flu, Cline performed three shows at Kansas City's Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall on March 3, to raise money for the family of DJ Jack "Cactus" Call, who had beenkilled in a car crash thatJanuary. A post shared by Patsy Cline Museum (@patsyclinemuseum), Dottie West, wary about the bad weather conditions, invited Patsy to travel back to the Music City with her and her husband Bill by car. See Kris Kristofferson Reunite With Johnny Cashs. What if the rheumatic fever had claimed Clines life at the age of 13? He said, Two or three men dug the engine out of the ground and carried it off.. So, when she was 28, she lost her husband and father in the same tragedy. Cline spent a month in the hospital after suffering injuries including a broken wrist, dislocated hip and a jagged cut across her forehead that required stitches. She is considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century and was one of the first country music artists to cross over into pop music. On March 5, 1963, Patsy was killed in an airplane crash while flying from Kansas City to Nashville. The first of those experiences was when she was only 13 years old. But life has to go on., The Plane Crash That Killed Patsy Cline and the Other Country Tragedies Surrounding It, RELATED: Patsy Cline: Plane Crash First Responders Found Broken Guitars, Cowboy Hats, and Rhinestones. When weather conditions prohibited Cline from flying out on March 4, West invited Cline to join her and her husband Bill on the 16-hour drive back to Music City. Sadly, the crash was reportedly as a result of the inexperience of the pilot, Cline's supervisor, Randy Hughes. After she finished her performance, Cline returned to her hotel. The Patsy Cline Story quotes Cline, who believed the fever was the force behind her powerful singing voice, saying, The fever affected my throat and when I recovered I had this booming voice. Some perspective of the plane crash was blamed on the inexperience of the time of her early death with country. Current SIGMET [? the plane, which departed Kansas City at around 2PM takeoff, Hughes became lost the! 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