Country music is full of women with powerful voices. Loretta Lynn, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, and many more have golden vocal cords. However, none of them would likely have reached the level of fame they did without the influence and impact of Patsy Cline. Countless artists list her among their major inspirations, and you only need to hear her sing once to understand why.
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Cline’s life and career were tragically short. However, while she was alive and active, she gave country music some of its most memorable songs. “Walkin’ After Midnight” and “I Fall to Pieces” are classics, for sure. Moreover, they both rival the Willie Nelson-penned “Crazy” in sheer staying power. Today, decades after she made it a hit, “Crazy” remains one of her best-known songs. The clip below is a great example of why she and the song remain so popular among country artists and fans alike.
“Crazy” Was a Huge Hit for Patsy Cline
Patsy Cline is remembered as a country artist. However, she had plenty of crossover appeal. In fact, many of her charting singles landed within the top 20 of the Hot 100. “Crazy” was her only single to reach the top 10 of the all-genre tally, where it peaked at No. 9. The song reached No. 2 on the country chart.
Interestingly, “Crazy” wasn’t just a significant hit for Cline. It gave its songwriter, Willie Nelson, a major career boost. At the time, Nelson was far from being the country music icon he is today. Instead, he was a songwriter who was struggling to make ends meet. Then, one of the most popular singers of the time picked up his song and made it a hit.
Royalties from the song helped the Texas native feed his growing family. At the same time, the single’s success helped make him an in-demand songwriter in Nashville. Soon, he started his career as a recording artist. By the end of the next decade, he was one of the biggest names in the genre, and still is more than 50 years later. Some might say it’s crazy how much this song changed.
Featured Image by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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