Patsy was the reason

September 8

I thought I would write a little something today about the late great Patsy Cline who would have been 77 years old today had she lived. Unfortunately she was killed in a terrible plane crash on evening of March 5, 1963 (the year that I was born) near Camden TN.  In case you didn't know, Patsy was returning home from a benefit concert that she had done to help the family of a DJ friend who had died. She was a little bit sick I've read, and probably extremely exhausted from being on the road so much. But she went, and sang her heart out as she did so many times. Sadly she did not return--to her own family-a husband and two tiny children-ages two and four.

I pay tribute to Patsy today for many reasons. One being that hers was one of the first voices my young ears ever heard. My grandmother (who is still going strong at 88) was a HUGE Patsy fan. Although she never saw her live and in person, she had all her records and played them constantly. I remember being very small and my grandmother rocking me to the sound of Patsy's mournful voice. I remember thinking that I didn't know what that lady was saying but she sure sounded sad! That was Patsy though--everything she felt came across in her voice and her music. No one can put that kind of emotion into a song to this day. Hers was an amazing voice and one you don't forget when you are privileged enough to hear it.

I pay tribute to Patsy today too for being one HELL of a tough lady. She was one of the early pioneers for the women of country music and that long road wasn't an easy one. Back then it was a man's world and women generally dressed in frilly dresses (Patsy said they looked like a "damn table cloth!) and sang whatever they were told.  Yes, men truly dominated the country music scene--that is until Patsy came along.

She blazed the trail for the many women singers who would come after her. True to her heart, she sang what she felt. Patsy was notoriously hard to get along with but really, she had to be.
She knew what she wanted and she knew how she wanted to sing it. By the time of her death in 1963, Patsy was the undisputed queen of country music, although it would be several more years before she would get that recognition.

Yes, Patsy was tough; she spoke her mind and did as she pleased. No one told her what to do and she lived her life that way that she wanted. That's one of the many reasons she is one of my "she-roes" today. I have to say, I really admire a woman who won't be pushed around..

I also pay tribute to Patsy today because it was she that brought my partner "Heart" and I together in late 2002. Amazing as it seems, I think that it must have been meant to be. Could Patsy have played a part in all this from beyond? Sometimes I think so. She has always been in my life in one way or another and she seems to fill the role of "angel" in many of her fans lives every day. Who's to say that she isn't still with us, watching over us and doing good? I like to think of her as one of my guardian angels and I know several other people who feel the same way.

Here is how she brought "Heart" into my life:

Way back in August of 2002 a friend and acquaintance of mine announced that she was putting a new message board on her long running (and very popular) Patsy Cline website. Since I visited her site quite a lot in those days, I decided to check it out. Quickly, it became a fun place to hang out and chat and I met several other Patsy fans that remain very good friends today.

About this same time, "Heart" who lived many states away from me decided to visit the site and message board too, although she says that she had never spent much time on the internet up until that point. It seems that she had "rediscovered" Patsy Cline not too long before and Patsy and her music had literally changed her life. (I'll have to get her write her story here--you won't believe it!)

She was online searching for sites about Patsy when she came upon the very same web site that I had been visiting for several years. It wasn't long until we were talking like old friends and actually met each other for the first time in Nashville TN. There we visited a hotel together that happened to be hosting a showing of some of Patsy's clothes that were up for auction. Amazingly, the clothes were not behind glass either--oh no--they were hanging in this hotel room--on curtain rods and shower curtains and all you had to do was go in and see them. Being the fans that we were, we touched everything and I even remember "Heart" trying on Patsy's very long and beautiful evening gloves. It was an amazing moment for two big Patsy fans (as well as the friends who were with us) and it was the beginning of a beautiful relationship that neither one of saw coming..

As I've said many times, before I met "Heart" I had never given any thought to being in love with another woman before. Never--not in my entire life.  To me, it was all quite a surprise when it happened although it turned out to be a very nice surprise. We fell in love that day in Nashville and it was  definitely because Patsy led us there.   Of course, there are many more details to this story  but for now I will leave you with this short version. I don't want to bore you with too much "Loose Talk"..  :)

It has been said many times that Patsy Cline had a heart of gold. She loved other folks and was always ready to lend a helping hand. I think that perhaps wherever she is today, she is still opening her heart and giving that love to others. It wouldn't surprise me at all and I like to believe that she is still around.

She is the reason that I met the love of my life and she is also the reason that I still listen to love songs today.

So thank you Patsy..not just for your music or for sharing your lovely voice with us, but also for bringing two people together that might not have otherwise found each other.

And by the way, if you haven't listened to any Patsy Cline songs lately, go and do so immediately.
I promise you that you will not be disappointed.

Here's Patsy at her best..not too long before she left us:

"I Fall To Pieces"

God Bless you Patsy! We love you!