Patsy Cline (born Virginia Patterson-Hensley) had her breakthrough hit in 1957 – at the age of 24 – with Walkin’ After Midnight and became a mainstay at the Grand Ole Opry the following year. Further success eluded her, though, despite releasing twelve further singles over the next three years.
It was not until I Fall To Pieces in August 1961 that Cline returned to the top of the country charts. This was followed in September by the album Showcase which included a new version of Walkin’ After Midnight and Crazy – the Willie Nelson-penned hit that was to become Cline’s signature tune.
Cline survived a head-on car crash at the age of 28, only to die two years later on 5 March 1963 in the crash of a light aircraft in Tennessee, on her way back from a benefit gig for the widow of a DJ who had been killed in a car crash.
