New York, NY (Top40 Charts) The legendary Patsy Cline made an outsized impact in just the six short years of her hit-making career, blazing the trail for so many women in music by breaking down barriers, pioneering her own sound, defying gender norms and becoming the first female superstar, all while impeccably decked out in pants or a gorgeous sequined dress. Although her life was tragically cut short at the age of 30 just as her career was at the beginning of what could have been, she remains a groundbreaking, much-revered figure across country, rock, and pop whom Rolling Stone once anointed "a badass cowgirl drama queen [who] belts some of the torchiest, weepiest country songs ever, hitting high notes that make you sob into your margarita."
To celebrate what would have been the highly influential legend's 91st birthday today, MCA Nashville/UMe will be releasing a vinyl update of her chart-busting, 10x Platinum-selling Greatest Hits album on November 10. Available to purchase exclusively at uDiscover Music, Sound of Vinyl and via UMG Nashville, this collector's edition, arguably one of the best greatest hits albums of all time, will be pressed on white vinyl and presented with newly created contemporary pink cover art and packaging. Greatest Hits was certified Double-Platinum by the RIAA in 1989, making Cline the first female in country music to sell more than two million albums. In 2001, Cline's Greatest Hits was recognized by the "Guinness Book of World Records" for the album, which at the time, had stayed the most weeks on the US Country Chart by a female artist - an incredible 722 weeks after it first entered. The record spent 251 weeks (nearly five years) at No. 1.
Pre-order Greatest Hits now: https://patsycline.lnk.to/GHVinylPR
Originally released in 1967 by Decca Records, four years after her untimely death in a plane crash, Cline's Greatest Hits is a stunning encapsulation of her Top 10 hits between 1957 and 1963, featuring her first hit single, "Walkin' After Midnight," which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Country chart and hinted at Cline's crossover appeal as it hit No. 12 on the Pop chart in 1957; her first No. 1 country hit, "I Fall To Pieces," which also peaked at No. 12 on the Pop chart and additionally was ranked by Billboard as the No. 2 song of 1961 in its year-end charts; and the enormously successful crossover hit, "Crazy," which peaked at No. 2 on the Country chart and No. 9 on the Pop chart in the fall of 1961. It also includes her third country-pop crossover hit, "She's Got You," which resulted in her second No. 1 Country smash when released in January 1962. The 12-track collection also boasts her hits "So Wrong," "Strange," "Why Can't He Be You," "Back In Baby's Arms," "You're Stronger Than Me," and the posthumously released "Sweet Dreams (Of You)," "Faded Love," and "Leavin' On Your Mind," which all became Top 10 Country hits after her passing.
With her unmistakable silken, contralto vocals, Cline was a bona-fide hit machine. One of her most famous singles, "
Crazy" (recorded while recovering from a devastating car crash), transformed a modest little ballad by a little-known Willie Nelson, into a hit that catapulted up both country and pop charts. This was a seemingly impossible achievement in her day. A style-forward artist, Cline famously played with conventions by alternately donning stunning gowns or cowboy hats and boots. After scandalously wearing pants at the Grand Ole Opry, Cline later became the first woman inducted into the Country
Music Hall of Fame.
One of the hardest touring country artists of her time, Cline's struggle coming from a poor, abusive upbringing was palpable in classics such as her breakout single, "I Fall To Pieces," and the posthumously released "Sweet Dreams (Of You)." The latter shares the name with the 1985 film "Sweet Dreams," which commemorated Cline's life and earned star
Jessica Lange an Oscar nod.
Heartbreak notwithstanding, Cline is most remembered for being larger than life, with velvety vocals that betrayed her no-nonsense persona. She has been celebrated, covered, or cited as an influence by a diverse array of artists across the musical spectrum Cat Power, Elvis Costello, Kacey Musgraves, Margo Price, Lana Del Rey,
Linda Ronstadt, Lucinda Williams, to mention a few. Cline would go on to influence everyone from good friend
Loretta Lynn to Brandi Carlile, who remarked, "I loved Patsy Cline because Patsy Cline was loud." Even punk rockers loved her, with Joey Ramone professing, "There's no reason why you can't like Led Zeppelin, the Ramones, and Patsy Cline at the same time… if it's great, it's great."
Just this year,
Miley Cyrus and
Dolly Parton even duetted on "Walkin' After Midnight" for NBC's "Miley's New Year's Eve Party." Just this past weekend, Cline's birthday was commemorated at the Annual Patsy Cline Block Party in her hometown of Winchester, Va. It's also where she was laid to rest in 1963, with an epitaph that presciently reads, "Death Cannot Kill What Never Dies: Love."
Cline's Greatest Hits has gone on to Diamond status for sales of more than 10 million copies and is approaching a staggering 11 million copies sold as it continues to be a perennial bestseller, both as a popular compendium for longtime fans and an exquisite introduction to those just discovering Cline's timeless songs of love and heartbreak. Now fans old and new can enjoy Patsy Cline's immortal songs on vinyl in a new way.
Greatest Hits Tracklist:
SIDE A
1. Walkin' After Midnight
2. Sweet Dreams (Of You) - Single Version
3. Crazy - Single Version
4. I Fall To Pieces - Single Version
5. So Wrong - Single Version
6. Strange - Single Version
SIDE B
1. Back In Baby's Arms - Single Version
2. She's Got You - Single Version
3. Faded Love
4. Why Can't He Be You - Single Version
5. You're Stronger Than Me - Non-Orchestra Version
6. Leavin' On Your Mind - Single Version
