Was Patsy Cline "classic country?"

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

I hear a lot of comments about classic country containing "nasal voices, twangy guitars, and whiney steels". Patsy's stuff had none of these qualities, but is still considered "classic country" by almost everyone I come across...why?

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Me Too. Inquiring minds ask and want to know.

Most of what she did was "country" songs, but done in sort of a pop/country style and arrangements. Back in the days when Naishvul was going through one of those stages. I guess compared to the current pop/rock stuff it could be called classic.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Sounded sort of pop to me.

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Ric Nelson · From: Silver Spring, Maryland

Patsy's first recordings were country pure and simple. Don Helms was on the steel and I think Tommy Jackson was on the fiddle. All of the sessions were done in Nashville with Owen Bradley. At the time she lived in Winchester, VA and I can remember how pleased she was with the sessions when she'd return home.

But it was a bad time (1955-57) for country music (Elvis had arrived) and for country music record sales, with her's being disappointing. Even "Walking After Midnight", which had Don's steel on the original session and sold well after she was on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, was re-recorded with Owen Bradley's "Nashville Sound" i.e. no fiddle or steel guitar and back up singers.

Pats really went off about that at first and often said she wanted to just be a country, girl singer without all that fluff. But it turns out that the "fluff' is what has made her work timeless. Owen had the "cross-over- to-pop trick" in mind all along and it seems to have worked, especially after her death.

But it was "I Fall to Pieces", "Crazy" and "Faded Love" that really changed her mind about her sound, that is, when she went to the bank.

If you want to hear some real Patsy classic country, try those first releases like "A Church, A Courtroom and Goodbye","I've Loved and Lost Again" and "Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray." I think there are about 6 tracks or so before the sound changed. That was the Patsy that we knew here in the Washington-Baltimore area. It seems impossible that she had been gone for 37 years!

[This message was edited by Ric Nelson on 09 May 2000 at 02:20 PM.]

Robbie Bossert · From: WESCOSVILLE,PA,U.S.A.

I think Patsy's music represents one of Nashville's earliest attempts to get country music out past the hay bailes. That's not what happened however. Yes. She was accecpted by the mainstream. I don't feel that she was a country artist. More like a country bumpkin goes pop. DON'T HAMMER ME PLEASE! I love Patsy. But to say that she was a country artist is like saying that Black Sabbath is easy listening or rap is ANY form of music.

Janice Brooks · From: Pleasant Gap Pa

I will agree that country only discribed Patsy's earliest releases. This brings us back to what artests were classic country all the way and the bases.

Jerry Bruner · From: Albany, NY

I think Patsy could be considered both pop and country. It is a shame that the Nashvegas establishment felt they had to compete with pop but that also may have resulted from pressure from the bean counters at the label offices in New York. I think the late 50's was the start of things where country got polluted by pop. And the two men responsible for that pollution are also revered in the country community, Owen Bradley and Chet Atkins. Of course they made "country" palatable to the pop crowd by removing fiddle and steel, and by adding syrupy strings and ooey gooey "ooohing and aahing" by the likes of the Anita Kerr Singers. Consider that Patsy Cline is one of the few "country" singers that gets played on the OLDIES station, and you can make a clear case for her being POP. Still, she recorded COUNTRY songs.... by COUNTRY songwriters, like Willie Nelson, Harlan Howard, and Hank Cochran. In a way, Atkins and Bradley committed the original MURDER ON MUSIC ROW. But country rebounded time and time again, only to get polluted by pop again and again. The problem is, can we rebound from the current pollution? I am having my doubts. But as long as there are artists like DALE WATSON around there is HOPE. oh. GET THE DAMN PEDAL STEEL BACK into country WHERE IT BELONGS!!!!

Robbie Bossert · From: WESCOSVILLE,PA,U.S.A.

Janice,
Here's my opinion for whatever it's worth. Artists like Hank, Lefty, Webb Pierce, Ernest Tubb, etc.... Are all real hardcore, Honky-Tonk country. Bare bones kind of band with guitar,steel, fiddle,bass, and maybe a snare drum. Adult music with adult subject matter as the topic of the songs. 3 or 4 chords with a whole lot of heart and soul.

What's wrong with "Cryin' in your beer" songs? Sometimes we need to cry in our beer. That's how life is and that's what the songs dealt with. With guys like Dale Watson, The Derailers, Wayne Hancock, etc... We may live to see a comeback. I sure as hell hope so.
Robbie

Louie Hallford · From: denison tx

Patsy's songs were close enough for me.If this new crowd could get it that good I would shout with glee.

Mike Dennis · From: Stevens Point WI.

One thing 'bout Patsy... when she comes on the radio... the volume goes up.

and all these years later... she still sounds fresh.

Smiley Roberts · From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075

Since we're on this subject,if any of you plan on visiting Nashville before Fall,you need to catch,"A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline",featuring Lisa Layne,at the Texas Troubador Theater.A musical "docu-drama" of her life,featuring some of Nashville's best musicians.It's,about,2 hrs. long,w/ an intermission,but I guarantee,you will be TOTALLY entertained.Best show in town!!!

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[This message was edited by Smiley Roberts on 10 May 2000 at 07:52 PM.]

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Well, she was country and she was pop as well. To discount Patsy as a country artist is like saying that Ray Price was just a pop singer, same situation, just that he established a large amount of country recordings and hits before he pulled out some of the MOR that he did. And Willie Nelson is considered a country artist, yet I can find a heap of LP's that are anything but.
Some people get a little picky when I call rocabilly 'country music', but it's not so foar removed from a lot of 'hillbilly boogie' numbers from the late 1940's to late 1950's, by the likes of Tenn. Ernie Ford, Gene O'Quinn, Gene Davis, Skeets McDonald, the Delmore Brothers and many many more.

The 'Nashvile Sound', which at times can be terribly overwrought and cloying in it's arrangements, also gave rise to some of the finest music ever. And belive me I love Western Swing and the West coast twang, but there's no way I could totally dismiss Patsy as just a pop singer.
Besides, has anyone heard that CD cut at Leon McAuliffe's Cimmaron Ballroom with Leon's group backing Patsy circa early 1963?
The real deal for all those doubters

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Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

A&E television is running 5 Biography programs of female country singers this week. During the commercials they promoted a survey they're doing, something like "Who is the best female country singer?"

I turned to the wife and said, "They mean besides Patsy Cline, right?".

Maybe they should have phrased it "Who is the SECOND BEST female country singer?", because the first is always going to be Patsy Cline. Everyone knows that (except the producers at A&E, apparently).

Robbie Bossert · From: WESCOSVILLE,PA,U.S.A.

Hey Bobby,
I'll cast my vote for Patty Loveless. I love 'em both.

Missy James · From: Kaiser MO

My $.02:

I love music of all types, from classical to country and rock to pop. The thing that I love best about country music is its ability to convey emotions and heartfelt sentiments (and some of the newer stuff lacks this, but not all of it). When you talk strictly in terms of instrumentation and sound, it's hard not to think in terms of Patsy's music being country-pop crossover. But when you hear the emotions, to me, THAT'S COUNTRY.

Bill cole · From: Cheektowaga, New York, USA

Smiley did you say you were playing

Smiley Roberts · From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075

No,the young man playing the show,is Kevin Owen,& very proficient at it,too.

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Ric Nelson · From: Silver Spring, Maryland

Jason:
That CD that's out with Patsy at the Cimmaron Ballroom was recorded shortly after she was in a bad car accident that was fatal to two in the other car and nearly killed her.

When Patsy was on the stage for that show, she was still in plenty of pain and had to sit on a seat while singing. We were all amazed at the time that she was back working again so soon after the wreck-- but that was Patsy for ya.

Boomer · From: Brentwood, TN USA

What might have made Patsy Cline classic country was great material everybody could relate to, a great voice that didn't sound like she was whining or complaining about something, and no "drums and rock n' roll guitar mixed up in your face". That's also probably the reason she easily crossed over to pop while retaining her country base. Best, Boomer