The Boomer REport - Music Fun Facts

Patsy Cline - 10 Fun Facts

  1. Her real name was Virginia Patterson Hensley – “Patsy” came from her middle name (Patterson), and “Cline” was taken from her first husband, Gerald Cline.
  2. She wore cowgirl boots to church – Growing up in Winchester, Virginia, she performed in the church choir wearing Western boots and a scarf, foreshadowing her strong personality and love of country flair.
  3. She dropped out of school at 16 to work and support her family – After her father abandoned them, Patsy worked at a drugstore and sang on the side to help pay bills.
  4. She was the first female country artist to headline her own Vegas residency – In 1962, she performed at the Mint Casino in Las Vegas, breaking barriers for female headliners in country music.
  5. She recorded “Crazy” while on crutches – After her car accident, she was still healing when she recorded Willie Nelson’s Crazy and she nailed it in one take despite the pain.
  6. She had perfect pitch, but couldn’t read music – Patsy’s voice was instinctive and raw. She often learned songs by ear and improvised emotional inflections.
  7. She was one of the first to cross into pop charts successfully – Her hits like Walkin’ After Midnight, I Fall to Pieces, and Crazy made her one of the first country stars to cross over into the mainstream.
  8. She recorded only 3 albums during her life – Despite her immense legacy, Patsy’s entire recorded catalog before her death consisted of just three studio albums and a handful of singles.
  9. She died at just 30 years old – Patsy perished in a plane crash on March 5, 1963, near Camden, Tennessee, alongside fellow Grand Ole Opry performers Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins.
  10. She was the first solo female artist inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame – In 1973, she became the first woman to be inducted posthumously, securing her legacy as a pioneer for women in country.