Wednesday, March 3, 2021

Remembering Patsy Cline....

 



 























What can you say about Patsy Cline? Words cannot describe her unmatched
talent. Her incredible career in the recording industry and live performing
touched thousands of people in the late 50’s and early 60’s.  Her biggest years
were from 1957-1963, she was putting out hit after hit, packing theaters
across the country and performing on the Grand Ole Opry. If you were one of
the lucky ones out there to have seen her in person… you were truly blessed.
She was the first female country singer to be inducted into the Country Music
Hall of Fame in 1973. Her music touched the soul, whether you were a country
music fan or not. Sweet Dreams, Crazy, She’s Got You, the list is endless. We
lost her crystal clear voice when she was just thirty years old, and we were all
cheated because of her untimely death. Play her music, remember her, and
pass it on……

Cowboy Copus, a young man from Ohio who started is music career while
appearing on local radio stations, as so many entertainers did fifty years ago.
A member of the Grand Ole Opry, Copus was known as the Country Gentleman
of Song. He was a solid entertainer who played the circuits of fairs, country
music halls and special events. His hits included Signed, Sealed and Delivered,
Tennessee Waltz and Alabam. His band was known as the Gold Star Rangers.
Cowboy Copus was just 50 when he was killed on that foggy, rainy day in March
of 1963.

Hawkshaw Hawkins, born in West Virginia, a country singer who had a rich,
smooth vocal presentation. With a six foot five inch frame, Hawkshaw commanded
the stage when he made an appearance in his spangled outfit and boots. I was
lucky to see him perform at the Steuben County Fair in Bath, NY. My father who
had a country and western band himself loved Hawkshaw and took me to see
Him, I believe it was in August of 1960, perhaps 61.  Hawkshaw performed for
years on WWVA in Wheeling and his signature song was Sunny Side of the Mountain.
In 1962, his biggest hit was released, just three days after his death was
Lonesome 7-7203 and that song was huge for weeks and months to follow.
Hawkshaw was just 42 when he died, but his fans continue to enjoy him. 

Randy Hughes, a session guitarist had met Patsy in 1959 and soon after became
her manager. He was the pilot and owner of the aircraft flying the night of the accident.
Hughes, age 34, was also the son-in-law of Cowboy Copus. Hughes did hold
a private pilot’s license but did not have an instrument rating, so he had to fly by
visual flight rules only. Hughes bought the aircraft in 1962, less than a year before
the day of the fateful crash. He had only logged 44.25 hours in the Piper Comanche

and only had a total of 160.10 hours flight time in his career. 

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