Honoring a legend.
Despite her career being tragically cut short after passing away in a plane crash in 1962, Patsy Cline remains one of the most influential female artists in country music history.
And a just-announced tribute concert will feature many of country music’s leading ladies to pay tribute to the influence and legacy of Patsy Cline.
Walkin’ After Midnight: An All-Star Tribute To Patsy Cline is coming to the Ryman Auditorium on April 22, and will feature names like Wynonna, Ashley McBryde, Tanya Tucker, Pam Tillis, Kristin Chenoweth, Natalie Grant and many more performing the music of the country music legend.
And the night will also include stories and memories from many who knew Patsy Cline, providing fans with a personal look at the woman who changed country music.
Of course it’s hard to understate the impact that Patsy Cline had on country music, from blazing a trail for female artists like Loretta Lynn to pioneering the “Nashville Sound” with songs like the Willie Nelson-penned hit “Crazy” and “Walkin’ After Midnight.”
In fact, Loretta even named one of her twin daughters Patsy after Cline tragically passed away in a plane crash, and in her 2020 book Me & Patsy Kickin’ Up Dust, she explained why they had such a deep and easy connection:
“Did I know meeting Patsy that day would change my life? No. How could I?
But I knew I’d found a real friend: a great singer, a proud momma, a woman who wasn’t afraid to stand up for herself.”
Clearly, they were two of a kind.
Patsy taught Loretta, who had come from the hollers and hills of eastern Kentucky, how to drive, shave her legs, encouraged her to wear makeup on stage, and even advised her to wear the now-iconic long, sparkly gowns Loretta became known for.
She also told her about the “dirty old men” who lurked in Music City back then (and still do to a lesser extent), saying:
“You gotta set them straight, little gal. Show them you don’t go for that kind of thing.”
And not only did Patsy help Loretta learn to speak up for herself, which probably impacted her career and life in many immeasurable ways, she always stood up for her and had her back when she wasn’t around, too.
Loretta even recalled the time Mrs. Patsy had to set some people straight when Loretta first started creating some buzz at the Grand Ole Opry.
She was starting to get invited back often, because of her obvious natural talent and knack for performing, but some of her fellow artists didn’t like that too much.
So much so, in fact, that some of them started calling her and asking who she had sex with to “get on the Opry so fast.”
Loretta recalled crying “day and night,” because of it, and some of those same artists even concocted an intricate plan to keep her off the Opry altogether.
Though, they made a MASSIVE error when they got Patsy involved and actually invited her to the meeting to hear about it.
As Loretta recalled in her autobiography herself:
“Inviting Patsy was their mistake.”
Loretta would never share any of the specific names (unfortunately, because I’m dying to know), but in an effort to put an end to all the BS once and for all, Patsy bought Loretta a new dress, got her all made up, and took her to the meeting.
Of course, you could’ve heard a pin drop when the women walked in together, much to the surprise of some of the other artists who were not expecting Loretta to be there.
Loretta says that simple move changed everything for her, and she never had another issue with any of them after that:
“Patsy put the stamp of approval on me, and I never had any problems with them again. In fact, they are all my friends now.”
It’s that fierce, no-nonsense personality that made Patsy Cline such a legend, not only as an artist but as a person.
And it’s only fitting that some of country music’s finest will pay tribute to that legend on country music’s most historic stage at the Mother Church of Country Music.
