One Of Country Music's Most Influential Singers, Patsy Cline Is Buried In Rural Virginia
By Beth|Published December 15, 2021
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Beth
Author
A lifelong Virginia resident, Beth loves exploring different parts of the world and currently resides in Charlottesville. She holds a degree in English Literature and one of her short stories has been featured in the Shenandoah Review. Other interests include hiking, songwriting, and spending time in the mountains.
Virginia’s country music roots run deep. In fact, the town of Bristol is known as the birthplace of country music. One of country music’s most famous stars, Patsy Cline is buried in rural Virginia near downtown Winchester. And while many of her ties are to Tennessee and Nashville, the star was actually born in the Old Dominion and even launched her career here. You can visit her gravesite today when you tour Shenandoah Memorial Park. Here’s a little more about the life of Patsy Cline and her connection to Virginia.
Born Virginia Patterson Hensley in 1932, Patsy Cline grew up in various towns throughout Virginia.
Her family moved around as her father tried to find work as a blacksmith in Elkton, Staunton, and Norfolk. Eventually, they settled in Winchester. Photographed above is the house where she lived from age 16 to 21.
At age 13, Cline was hospitalized with a bad throat infection and rheumatic fever. Recovering from the fever, she noticed that her voice had changed, and suddenly she was able to sing like never before.
She remarried a man by the name of Charlie Dick before moving full-time to Nashville. By 1960, she was performing regularly at the Grand Ole Opry. Signing with Decca Records that same year, she soon released one of her most famous hits, "I Fall to Pieces."
During the height of her career, the star was tragically killed in a plane accident after performing at a benefit at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall, Kansas City in March of 1963 at just 30 years old.
Despite being taken from the world far too soon, her impact on the genre of country music, as well as music in general, has never faded. In 1973, Patsy Cline was the first female solo artist elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
