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Patsy Cline

Patsy Cline (born Virginia Patterson Hensley; September 8, 1932 – March 5, 1963) was an American singer. 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. Cline had several major hits during her eight-year recording career, including two number-one hits on the Billboard Hot Country and Western Sides chart.

Cline's first professional performances began at local radio station WINC when she was fifteen. In the early 1950s, Cline began appearing in a local band led by performer Bill Peer. Various local appearances led to featured performances on Connie B. Gay's Town and Country television broadcasts. It also led to the signing of her first recording contract with the Four Star label in 1954. She had minor success with her earliest Four Star singles including "A Church, a Courtroom, Then Goodbye" (1955) and "I've Loved and Lost Again" (1956). In 1957 Cline made her first national television appearance on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. After performing "Walkin' After Midnight", the single became her first major hit on both the country and pop charts.

Cline's further singles with Four Star Records were unsuccessful, although she continued performing and recording. After marrying in 1957 and giving birth in 1958, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to further her career. Working with new manager Randy Hughes, Cline became a member of the Grand Ole Opry and then moved to Decca Records in 1960. Under the direction of producer Owen Bradley, her musical sound shifted and she achieved consistent success. The 1961 single "I Fall to Pieces" became her first to top the Billboard country chart. As the song became a hit, Cline was severely injured in an automobile accident, which caused her to spend a month in the hospital. After she recovered, her next single release "Crazy" would also become a major hit.

During 1962 and 1963, Cline had hits with "She's Got You", "When I Get Through with You", "So Wrong" and "Leavin' on Your Mind". She also toured and headlined shows with more frequency. In March 1963, Cline was killed in a plane crash along with country performers Cowboy Copas, Hawkshaw Hawkins and manager Randy Hughes, during a flight from Kansas City, Kansas back to Nashville.

Since her death, Cline has been cited as one of the most celebrated, respected, and influential performers of the 20th century. Her music has influenced performers of various styles and genres. She has also been seen as a forerunner for women in country music, being among the first to sell records and headline concerts. In 1973, she became the first female performer to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In the 1980s, Cline's posthumous successes continued in the mass media. She was portrayed twice in major motion pictures, including the 1985 biopic Sweet Dreams starring Jessica Lange. Several documentaries and stage shows were released during this time, including the 1988 musical Always...Patsy Cline. A 1991 box set of her recordings was issued that received critical acclaim. Her greatest hits album sold over 10 million copies in 2005. In 2011, Cline's childhood home was restored as a museum for visitors and fans to tour.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 8, 1932 (Winchester), Died March 5, 1963 (Camden)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1955 - 1963

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 103 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 89149 1/5/1956 I love you, honey Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca 89150 1/5/1956 Come on in Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca 89151 1/5/1956 I cried all the way to the altar Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca 89152 1/5/1956 I don't wanta Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca 102377 4/24/1957 Today, tomorrow and forever Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca 102378 4/24/1957 Fingerprints Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca 102379 4/24/1957 A stranger in my arms Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca 102380 4/24/1957 Don't ever leave me again Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca 102381 4/25/1957 Try again-2 Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca 102382 4/25/1957 Too many secrets Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca 102383 4/25/1957 Then you'll know Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca 102384 4/25/1957 Three cigarettes (in a ashtray) -2, 3 Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca NA 100 6/1/1955 Hidin' out Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca NA 101 6/1/1955 Turn the cards slowly Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca NA 102 6/1/1955 A church, a courtroom and then goodbye Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca NA 103 6/1/1955 Honky tonk merry-go-round Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca NA 9342 4/22/1956 Stop, look and listen Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca NA 9343 4/22/1956 I've loved and lost again Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca NA 9344 4/22/1956 Dear God Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca NA 9345 4/22/1956 He will do for you (what he's done for me) Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca NA 9539 11/8/1956 Walking after midnight Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca NA 9540 11/8/1956 The heart you break may be your own Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca NA 9541 11/8/1956 Pick me up on your way down Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca NA 9542 11/8/1956 A poor man's roses Patsy Cline vocalist  
Decca NA 9829 5/23/1957 That wonderful someone Patsy Cline vocalist  
(Results 1-25 of 103 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Cline, Patsy," accessed March 18, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/308894.

Cline, Patsy. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/308894.

"Cline, Patsy." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/308894

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