On March 3, 1963, Patsy Cline, famous for "I Fall To Pieces" and Willie Nelson's "Crazy", played a benefit concert in Kansas City with George Jones, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Cowboy Copas and others. Two days later, she was killed in a plane crash, along with Hawkins and Copas, only 90 miles from her destination. That day, three country music stars died; a fourth, Jack Anglin, of Johnny and Jack, best known for "Ashes of Love", was killed in a car accident on the way to a memorial for Patsy Cline. Ironically, country singer Dottie West had pleaded with Pasty not to board the plane, but to ride back home with her by car. Patsy refused, wanting to get back sooner to her children.
Almost four years earlier, on February 2, 1959, Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson were killed in a plane crash after playing a show in Iowa. Valens got a seat by flipping a coin with Holly's bandmate, Tommy Allsup, and won the toss. The Big Bopper convinced a second Holly bandmember, Waylon Jennings, to give up his seat. Of course, this story was immortalized in Don McLean's classic, "The Day The Music Died".
I think the death of Patsy Cline, Hawkins, Copas and, indirectly, Anglin was a devastating blow to country music. That's why I call it, "The (Second) Day The Music Died." Patsy Cline: "Leaving On Your Mind"
Though largely forgotten, Don Gibson was one of our greatest songwriters, in my view. His song catalog is epic and includes: I Can't Stop Loving You; Sweet Dreams; Oh, Lonesome Me; Lonesome Number One; Sea Of Heartbreak and on and on. Gibson had many hits with these and other songs, but artists like Ray Charles (I Can't Stop Loving You), Patsy Cline (Sweet Dreams) and Ronnie Milsap (I'd Be A Legend In My Time) had monster hits on them. But I've always liked Gibson's interpretations best. Loneliness and being blue were constant themes throughout and supposedly he was quite lonely, as we all are from time to time. Unfortunately, his artistry was hard to decipher in most of his recordings, due to overproduction and oftentimes annoying background choruses. So I've chosen a cover of my favorite Gibson tune, Legend In My Time, by Johnny Cash, recorded near the end of his life when he was so beautifully exploring his inner being (words follow). There's also a clip of Gibson performing I Can't Stop Loving You. I've always felt Gibson was suffering inside and the way he dealt with it was through his words and melodies. What gifts he gave us.
Johnny Cash (audio)... Legend In My Time... (I'd Be A) Legend In My Time If heartaches brought fame, In love's crazy game, I'd be a legend in my time. If they gave gold statuettes, For tears and regret, I'd be a legend in my time. But they don't give awards, And there's no praise or fame. For hearts that are broken, or love that's in vain. If loneliness meant world acclaim, Everyone would know my name, I'd be a legend in my time. [Spoken:]If heartaches brought fame, In love's crazy game, I'd be a legend in my time. If they gave gold statuettes, For tears and regret, I'd be a legend in my time. [Sung:]But they don't give awards, And there's no praise or fame. For hearts that are broken, or love that's in vain. If lonliness meant world acclaim, Everyone would know my name, I'd be a legend in my time. I Can't Stop Loving You (Try to ignore the Jordanaires!)
On March 3, 1963, Patsy Cline, famous for "I Fall To Pieces" and Willie Nelson's "Crazy", played a benefit concert in Kansas City with George Jones, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Cowboy Copas and others. Two days later, she was killed in a plane crash, along with Hawkins and Copas, only 90 miles from her destination. That day, three country music stars died; a fourth, Jack Anglin, of Johnny and Jack, best known for "Ashes of Love", was killed in a car accident on the way to a memorial for Patsy Cline. Ironically, country singer Dottie West had pleaded with Pasty not to board the plane, but to ride back home with her by car. Patsy refused, wanting to get back sooner to her children.
