How Patsy Cline Cheated Death and Became One of the Greatest Country Artists of All Time

In 1963, Patsy Cline tragically passed away in a plane crash on her way back to Nashville from Kansas City. Prior to her death in 1963, Cline cemented herself as one of the most prolific country artists of all time with songs such as “Crazy”, “Walkin’ After Midnight”, “I Fall To Pieces”, and “She’s Got You”. In addition to her astounding talent, one other accolade proving her icon status is the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award she received in 1995.

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Even though Patsy Cline’s career was marked by success, it was also partially marked by tragedy. During her illustrious career, Cline was in a near-fatal car crash that left her hospitalized for a month. That very car crash nearly derailed her entire career. However, Cline returned to the stage shortly after the crash and carved out her decorated legacy.

Patsy Cline Always Beat the Odds and a Car Crash Wasn’t Going To Change That

Patsy Cline’s career launched in the late 50s and early 60s. Consequently, Cline purchased a new home in Nashville, Tennessee, and brought her family down to see it. During the visit, Cline and her brother, Sam Hensley Jr., drove to pick up supplies for their mother. That is when the two got in the head-on collision.

Patsy Cline was thrown through the windshield, suffered a broken wrist, a cut across her forehead, and a dislocated hip. Cline spent a month in the hospital, though once her time in the hospital concluded, she returned to the Grand Ole Opry stage and performed on crutches. As a matter of fact, one could argue that the car crash was the moment that marked the widespread launch of Cline’s career. This is because shortly after her release from the hospital, Cline went on to record her biggest all-time hit, “Crazy”.

Still on crutches, Cline showed up at the studio and recorded the infamous song written by Willie Nelson. Following the release of the single, Cline scored several more country music hits with her singles “She’s Got You”, “When I Get Thru With You”, and “So Wrong”. For most, an incident of this magnitude would result in a shortened career. But that wasn’t in the cards for Cline, as she showed this would not be the moment that defined the rest of her life. Outside of music, this is an exemplary story about willpower and the capability of human resilience.

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