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.
