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Patsy Cline Biography

Birth Name:Virginia Patterson Hensley

Birth Place:Winchester, Virginia, United States

Profession Soundtrack, Music department

Fast Facts

  • Became the first solo female artist to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1973
  • Got her first big break when she began playing with bandleader Bill Peer, who convinced her to use the name "Patsy" based on her middle name, at the age of 20
  • Appeared on "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts" in 1957 and won with her single "Walkin' After Midnight․"
  • Dropped out of high school to support her family, taking jobs at a movie theater snack bar, a chicken slaughterhouse, and a drugstore, and also sang in bars in her spare time
  • Quote: "The one thing I wanted to do more than anything else was sing country music․"
  • Best known country and pop singer who was part of the early 1960s Nashville sound and had hits with "Crazy" and "Walkin' After Midnight․"
  • Her life was the subject of the bio-pic "Sweet Dreams" starring Jessica Lange in 1985
  • Toured with Johnny Cash during the early 1960s and performed with artists like June Carter and George Jones