Virginia Hensley, born in Winchester, Virginia on September 8, 1932, got here to be beloved world wide as Patsy Cline. Patsy’s mainstream profession, in what turned her speciality of effortlessly fashionable, crossover nation, actually solely lasted six years, from when she hit No.2 on the nation chart with “Walkin’ After Midnight” till her tragic demise from a number of accidents in a aircraft crash on the age of 30 in 1963. However her music endures, because it at all times will.
Younger Virginia grew up admiring vocal stylists in each the nation and pop worlds, with a watch and ear for Judy Garland, Shirley Temple and Kay Starr. Her early performances in expertise contests introduced her to the eye of Jimmy Dean, whose personal nation hit profession started in 1953 with “Bummin’ Around.” By 1955, Patsy had a report deal, with 4 Star Information, however it was a false daybreak, with none hits.
A Decca crossover
The large break was her 1956 audition for the CBS TV sequence Arthur Godfrey’s Expertise Scouts. Cline handed, and went on to carry out “Walkin’ After Midnight” early within the new 12 months. Now on Decca, she noticed the recording attain not solely No.2 nation however the High 20 of the pop chart, a reasonably uncommon crossover for the time. The follow-up, “A Poor Man’s Roses (Or A Rich Man’s Gold)” was a High 15 nation hit, however didn’t attain the pop viewers. 4 years within the chart wilderness would observe.
Then got here her recording of Hank Cochran and Harlan Howard’s “I Fall To Pieces,” which soared to the highest of the nation chart in 1961 and reshaped Cline’s whole profession. She adopted up along with her definitive interpretation of Willie Nelson’s “Crazy,” then one other nation No.1 with “She’s Got You” and a bunch of different hits. Not even a severe, life-threatening automobile crash in June of 1961 might cease her.
Cline was climbing the nation charts along with her newest hit, “Leavin’ On Your Mind,” when her personal aircraft crashed on March 5, 1963, reducing quick a novel profession. Inside weeks, she was within the bestsellers with what was now a very poignant ballad, “Sweet Dreams (Of You),” quickly adopted by “Faded Love” and different posthumous hits.
Practically 20 years later, Patsy’s voice was nonetheless creating huge hits, as on the “duet” “Have You Ever Been Lonely (Have You Ever Been Blue),” with one other nation star taken too younger, Jim Reeves. She’ll by no means be forgotten.
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