Country Music Icon Patsy Cline Died On March 5, 1963
Patsy Cline is regarded as one of the most successful and influential country artists in history. With her beautiful voice and timeless songs, Cline helped pave the way for female artists in the genre. She continues to serve as an inspiration to many.
In 2002, CMT‘s 40 Greatest Women of Country Music TV special named Cline as the best female country artist in history.
Rolling Stone also honored Cline by placing her in the 46th spot in its issue on the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. She later landed at the 13th spot on the publication’s expanded and updated 200 Greatest Singers of All Time list.
Cline managed to earn her iconic status with only three studio albums and a small collection of singles.
That’s because on March 5, 1963, Cline was killed in a plane crash while flying from Kansas City to Nashville. Cline’s manager, Randy Hughes, and fellow Grand Ole Opry stars Hawkshaw Hawkins and Cowboy Copas were also killed in the crash.
After Patsy’s death, her fans and friends came forward to share some of their last memories of her. Keep reading to learn more about the final moments in her life.
Patsy Cline’s Final Call To Perform
When the popular DJ “Cactus” Jack Call was killed in a car accident in January 1963, a benefit concert was set up in Kansas City to help raise money for his family.
Tickets for the benefit did not sell well. So the promoter convinced Cline’s manager to add her to the lineup. The lineup also included Dottie West, George Jones, and Roy Acuff.
The video above is not from the benefit concert, but does include one of Cline’s final performances. It occurred on The Glenn Reeves Show on February 23, 1963.
Dottie West (who died in 1991) was one of Cline’s closest friends. She said she would never forget watching her perform for the last time:
“I walked out and watched the shows, and I will never forget that gorgeous white chiffon dress she wore. I thought, ‘My God! She sings like an angel, and she looks like one.’ She was just beautiful.”
The benefit for Jack Call’s family was held on March 3, 1963, two days before Cline’s death.
The Moment The World Lost Patsy Cline…
It was rainy and foggy on the day of the benefit, which made conditions too dangerous for planes to fly. Still, Cline turned down West’s offer for a ride home because she thought a plane would be faster.
Cline hadn’t been feeling well. She also wanted to get home to see her two children, Julie and Randy, as soon as she could.
The rainstorm finally passed after two days. Cline and the others were able to board the plane and took off in the early afternoon on March 5.
But they couldn’t escape the storm completely. Hughes, who didn’t know how to fly using instruments, landed the plane every time the weather got too rough for him to handle.
The plane made its last stop in Dyersburg, Tennessee, where the airport manager warned Hughes that it wasn’t safe to fly. He remained determined to give it a try.
Hughes even refused the manager’s offer to loan him his car. He refueled the plane before takeoff, going back into the storm around 6:07 PM.
According to Cline’s watch, which stopped at the time of the crash and was later recovered from the scene, the plane went down 13 minutes later, at 6:20 PM.
Cline’s body was recovered from the wreckage. She was laid to rest at Shenandoah Memorial Park in her hometown of Winchester, Virginia.
West and fellow country star Loretta Lynn had a bell tower placed at the cemetery in Cline’s memory, which plays hymns every day at the hour of her death.
May you rest in peace Patsy Cline. You are so dearly missed.
