Today would have been legendary country singer Patsy Cline's 94th birthday.
Born Virginia Patterson Hensley on September 8, 1932, this native
daughter of Winchester, Virginia was one of the most influential
recording artists of the 20th century.
Image courtesy/Projects
While there have been many great female singers called queens of country
music, the unforgettable voice of Patsy Cline has transcended the passage of time,
and has influenced generations of recording artists from different music backgrounds.
Even today, over a half of a century after her death, she remains
the undisputed Empress of the Nashville Sound.
Patsy was one of the first country singers to successfully cross over to pop music.
In 1957, while appearing on the television show, "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts",
she sang the song, "Walkin' After Midnight". The song became her first
major hit record on both the country and pop music charts.
Patsy was returning from performing at a benefit concert in
Kansas City when she was tragically killed in a plane crash on
March 5, 1963 near Camden, Tennessee. She was 30 years old.
The accident also claimed the lives of her manager, Randy Hughes,
and fellow country performers Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins.
Although many people are familiar with her signature songs, "Crazy"
and "Sweet Dreams" "She's Got You" and "I Fall To Pieces" Patsy was
also an accomplished singer of gospel hymns. As a young girl she
loved singing in her church choir. She later recorded a soul-stirring
rendition of the classic song, "Life's Railway To Heaven" which,
along with "Just A Closer Walk With Thee" was said to
be one of her favorite hymns.
Today on her birthday, I like to think of Patsy lending her
beautiful voice to the angels' choir on that blissful shore
"in that great forevermore." May she rest in eternal peace.
(Released posthumously
in 1965)
Patsy Cline
