POPULAR CULTURE Observations from the Patsy Cline Museum
By Brian Christopher Cummings
Member, Appraisers Association of America
Patsy Cline was an American original. With her sultry voice and sophisticated sound, she brought country music down from the mountains and into the hearts of millions of people. Beginning with her 1957 self-titled debut album, Patsy was one of the first country artists to crossover successfully onto both the pop and country charts and, with each successive album, her star grew brighter, culminating in her classic number one smash "I Fall to Pieces" in 1961. Although her groundbreaking career ended prematurely when she died in an airplane crash, Patsy's unique talent and distinctive voice reverberate still today. As the first solo female inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, she was a pioneer in her field who opened the door for many other talented female singers. Today artists ranging from Emmy Lou Harris to Carrie Underwood cite Patsy as an influence and a guide to their own successful musical journeys.
Pasty Cline 'Green Cowgirl' two piece ensemble
A Kelly-green gabardine western-style shirt blouse, with front white button closures adorned with white nylon fringe along chest double yolk, back, and white piping and clear-punched rhinestones (her trademark).
The Patsy Cline Museum's collection of articles and artifacts traces the path of her extraordinary career while also bringing vividly to life the unique individuality that made Patsy not just a singer, but a star. The collection is a rich historic archive of verified items that were either owned or used by Patsy herself or family members, like her mother, who were so integral to her success. Patsy was known for her unique clothing style as much as her music. There are dress patterns included the collection, which were clipped from magazines, that inspired Patsy and her mom.
The museum's collection includes more than 100 outfits from Patsy's personal and professional wardrobe, many of which were worn for concerts played across America. One iconic item, instantly recognizable as classic Patsy, is a kelly-green, gabardine cowgirl suit decorated with rhinestone studded music notes and having her trademark white fringe draped along the arms. There is also another similar outfit, this one in a blazing stop-light red with more rhinestone notes and additional white fringe running across the shoulders. Moreover, the collection has one of Patsy's trademark ivory cowboy hats, dated and signed by the artist herself: "Patsy Cline 1954." According to Patsy's cousin, this hat was one of her favorites and was often worn with the red cowgirl ensemble.
Pasty Cline Cowboy Hat
A white treated-fabric cowboy hat adorned with a very thin black and white stripe ribbon, worn with her red cowgirl ensemble.
In addition to these more well-known country outfits and accessories, there are also a number of glamorous period gowns and long gloves that Patsy favored in the latter part of her career. As she headlined sold-out lounge shows in Vegas and Hollywood, Patsy draped herself in elegant, pleated silk chiffon skirts and sleeveless cocktail dresses. One notable outfit is a navy blue silk dress with modern, elegant lines and an elaborate piping pattern feature across the front. There are also a couple pairs of sleek tapered pants in bubble gum pink and vibrant canary yellow.
Other accessories that personally belonged to Patsy are rhinestone studded belts, vinyl handbags, chiffon hats, and a number of pairs of Patsy's shoes—made of wild leopard patterns, sleek gold lamé, handicraft silver glitter—and even her favorite plastic heels. Finally, there are a number of pairs of Patsy's gloves that are long sleeved and elegant and go up to the elbow, shorter driving-style gloves in deerskin and calf, including some pink polka-doted playful ones. A lifelong smoker, Patsy is known to have often favored wearing gloves to keep her fingers from being stained by nicotine.
Pasty Cline 'Red Cowgirl' two piece ensemble
A vibrant blazing stop-light red gabardine western-style shirt blouse decorated with side-by-side clear punched rhinestones formed in the shape of music notes.
Patsy is remembered as a strong and independent woman. She famously demanded to be paid up front before shows with her oft–quoted phrase, "no dough, no show." An example of her business acumen is the accounting journal used by Patsy, with pages of figures and notations regarding the ownership of her South Kent street home in Winchester, Virginia. However, the detailed accounting shows that she overpaid her mortgage each month for two years by 8 cents and was shorted $8.50.
One of the most unusual and largest items in this collection is an outdoor porch glider from her Winchester home. This glider may be seen in a photo of Patsy relaxing on the porch. She is wearing one of her many clear-rhinestone and white fringed-adorned cowgirl outfits. Finally, there are a number of posthumous awards within the collection, including framed gold records of "Crazy" and "Walkin' After Midnight," an original issue U.S. postage stamps with Patsy's likeness as well as lifetime achievement plaques awarded after her untimely death, and signed declarations from government officials denoting official celebrations of her extraordinary musical legacy.
The cumulative effect of all these historically authenticated items is to provide a vivid picture of Patsy Cline's remarkable life as an artist, performer, and American music icon. Arranged with care by the museum's staff of fans and historians, these items will tell the true story of Patsy's life and give a tangible sense of her musical legacy for generations to come.
Patsy Cline Heeled Footwear
Patsy Cline's footwear included clear vinyl topped open-toe Lucite-heeled sandals with rectangular arranged clear rhinestone accents atop.
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