Cline Recalled In Tribute Album, Network Special

By: Tamara Conniff
The Hollywood Reporter

Country legend Patsy Cline's musical influence continues its ride almost 40 years after her death. A tribute album featuring Norah Jones and Diana Krall and a remastered version of Cline's 1967 "Greatest Hits" album are ready for release and a television special is in the works.

Of note is that the tribute, "Remembering Patsy Cline," and the "Greatest Hits" remastered album (the original has sold almost 10 million copies to date) both feature the same songs in the same order, MCA Nashville executive vp Mark Wright said.

Additionally, the first track on the tribute is a slight remix of Cline's 1961 version of "Walking After Midnight." Her vocal was mixed in with a new blues/rock backing track -- a use that was approved by Cline's husband, Charlie Dick.

The tribute also features Martina McBride with Take 5, Natalie Cole, Jessi Alexander, Michelle Branch, Amy Grant, Lee Ann Womack, Patty Griffin, Rebecca Lynn Howard and k.d. lang.

CMT Pays Tribute to the 40 Greatest Women of Country Music

CMT rolls out one of its most anticipated specials to date -- CMT 40 Greatest Women of Country Music, a three-hour special honoring the 40 women who have made the greatest contribution to country music. The tribute will include interviews from various artists, entertainers and music historians as they describe why each of these incredible women is considered one of the "40 Greatest Women of Country Music." The historic documentary special, hosted by actor Billy Campbell (Once & Again and Enough), will debut Labor Day weekend Friday, Aug. 30 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Encore presentations will air Saturday, Aug. 31 at 4 p.m. ET/PT; Sunday, Sept. 1 at 12 p.m. ET/PT; Monday, Sept. 2 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

CMT 40 Greatest Women of Country Music will include interviews with celebrities talking about the impact these women have made on country music, how they feel when they hear one of these women sing and the emotions that are evoked when they think of the contributions these specific women have made to country music. The special will also include video footage, historic photos and the timeless music these women have made over the years that will create the exciting three-hour countdown from No. 40 to No. 1. Each hour will draw CMT viewers closer to knowing which artist will be honored as the Greatest Woman of Country Music. The CMT exclusive special will illustrate the depth, as well as the reach of country music throughout all musical genres.

The three-hour tribute includes interviews with Vince Gill, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Don Henley, Lee Ann Womack, Chris Isaak, Toby Keith, Travis Tritt, Lorrie Morgan, Jamie O'Neal, Lynn Anderson, Randy Travis and many other celebrities from country music and other entertainment genres.

The CMT 40 Greatest Women of Country Music were selected by hundreds of artists, music historians, music journalists and music industry professionals -- looking at every aspect of what a great artist is -- from her musically groundbreaking body of work to her overall contributions to the ever-changing world of country music.

Country Music Needs To Get Back To Its Roots

By: MIKE OATMAN
Wichita Eagle

An old radio listener of mine came up to me the other day with a complaint. He said he'd all but turned off the radio because he couldn't stand to hear the stuff they're calling "country music" these days. He lamented the fact that his country music heroes, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline and George Jones, were hardly ever heard on the air anymore.

He said the new "junk" (his word) was offensive to him. He said he misses the steel guitars and fiddles and harmonicas and mandolins and simple melodies that once defined what he termed real country music.

After he left I got to thinking about how many times over the last 40 years I've heard that same complaint.

I remember when the very artists he mentioned were new and crowding the likes of Jim Reeves, Hank Locklin and Marty Robbins off the radio. That bunch pushed Red Foley, Lefty Frizzell and Webb Pierce off the radio. Before that, Lefty and Hank Williams and Carl Smith and their colleagues crowded the Carter Family, Bob Wills and Elton Britt off the airways.

In other words, country music reinvents itself about every 15 years with new artists and new sounds. It evolves. Just as pop music, jazz, and rock change with the passing decades, so does country music.

The trouble with all that is that each evolution leaves some of us behind.

First, Bob Van in Winnie thanks all of those who have spoken up, and helped to nix the business part of the rezoning. Second, as you will see in the letter below from Bob, the owners of Shenandoah don’t appear to care at all about any of this. Since the owners are a corporation here in Pennsylvania, I plan to drop them a line to ask for a fence or barrier, how hard can that be? I am hoping to help bring the owners to their senses, and get some kind of meaningful barrier put up. It’s just the decent thing to do.… Personally, I think that no one should buy a plot at Shenandoah, and that maybe folks should think about moving their loved ones to places where they are properly cared for and respected.… Just a thought…. Plus, since I live in PA, I think I’ll check these owners out, and see what I can do locally to light a fire!

Well our fight goes on. I saw the latest land plat. The businesses are no longer a factor. Abbe Kennedy stated that orginally the Caseys intended to put businesses on both sides of the entrance road into the subdivision. My suspicion of a strip mall or cheap businesses seems correct. I have to feel that you and all the other Patsy Cline fans that wrote letters and generally raised your voices eventually resulted in the business zoning being removed.

As for the owners of the cemetery, we are extremely disheartened. They have not said one thing (for or against) this rezoning, the did not attend the rezoning meeting, and really don't seem to care. One of the neighborhood group members wrote them a letter (some corporation in Pennsylvania owns it now), and they didn't bother to respond to her. I don't expect them to play any part in this rezoning or put out any money for a fence, etc. to separate the cemetery from the proposed subdivision.

As for the rest of the subdivision, we are probably going to get it whether we like it or not. Our problem is that the Caseys are willing to meet all of the requirements for rezoning. Unfortunately, here in Frederick County the bar is set very low, so almost anybody can successfully rezone.

Our group is collecting petition signatures from Frederick County residents opposed to the rezoning, although this may be a last gasp effort. Several neighborhood group members feel that we can defeat this rezoning, although the Caseys will be back, requesting rezoning again, perhaps with the plan to put up apartment buildings. My wife and I are happy with the removal of the business rezoning. We will not be looking out from our house and seeing businesses.

....They were looking for material to use on a "40 Greatest Women of Country Music" special. This will air on CMT during Labor Day Weekend. It will be a 3-hour special. They could not tell me how anyone ranked. Patsy will be featured for about 3.5 minutes. Others included: Dolly, Loretta, Tammy, Patsy Montana, Mother Maybelle and Lorrie Morgan.

Set those VCR's!

AJC: What's this about you and Patsy Cline deciding you weren't going to have any more children?

Lynn: Yup. Me and Patsy decided we were through having babies, so we got them appointments at the same time to be fixed. Charlie [Dick, Cline's husband] went in and got it done, and ol' Doo headed for the hills. Two weeks later, I got pregnant with the twins, Peggy and Patsy.

AJC: Did he ever tell the Lynns [Peggy and Patsy's country act] that story?

Lynn: Only about 200 times.

I got word from MCA Nashville yesterday that the (Patsy) tribute album is planned for a mid-October release. Also, the first of the week I should have some news on a CMT special that will include Patsy.

This is just an update on our progress on development of the Patsy Cline Memorial. As usually seems to be the case, the wheels are turning slowly and while it is a little frustrating, I am a very patient person and I don't quit easily.

There are still a couple of holdups in getting the property signed over to the county, not the least of which is a problem with the title search, but I am following up and asking questions on a regular basis and I do not intend to simply let this important project fade away and disappear. Unfortunately, until the deed is actually signed over, my hands are tied. I do have an engineer creating layouts of possible ways that we might develop the site, but nothing beyond that can be done until the paperwork is complete.

I just thought you would like to know that I am still as dedicated to the project than ever and I intend to see it through no matter how long it takes. I have been stressing the fact that the fortieth anniversary of the tragedy is quickly approaching and that a proper tribute needs to be in place by that date. We'll just have to wait and see if I am able to squeak loud enough to warrant some grease. I am trying.

On a more positive note, we are now making final preparations for the opening of the new Heritage Museum at Camden City Park. The only remaining step is the installation of bars on the windows to (ensure) the best possible security for the museum exhibits. I have already placed some Patsy Cline materials in the museum and anticipate more, along with others who have indicated an interest in placing items related to Patsy. Anyone in the fan club who might have items that they would like to donate or display on consignment can contact me at the Chamber. Thanks again for your interest and support. I'll be in touch again soon.

I’ve been in contact with Abbe Kennedy, the person on the Winchester Board who is directly dealing with this. I asked her if this was still on the agenda for 8/21, and whether there were any updates or changes in the original plan which, as you know, included commercial zoning. I got the following response from her:

You are correct, the Casey rezoning request will be up for a public hearing on August 21 at the Planning Commission meeting beginning at 7:00 p.m. The applicant does not have any commercial zoning requested for this site. It is now strictly a residential rezoning request. The applicant has also resubmitted a concept sketch showing a 50' open-space buffer adjacent to Shenandoah Memorial Park. This buffer would extend the entire property line and have an earth berm planted with evergreen tree planted on 10 foot centers. This area would not be a part of the residential lots, rather shared open space and is an effort to mitigate the concern of any impact to the cemetery grounds. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance on this project.

WOW!! The berm is a rise of 4-6 feet, then the trees will be planted on that. This is good, but I wanted to know, for sure, how it differed from the original rezoning request that got us so riled, so I bugged her again, and got the following this morning:

The original proposal had two commercial lots fronting Route 522, requesting a B2, Business zoning classification. Now there will not be any business use, just residential. The previous proposal had home lots and the business use backing up to the property line of the cemetery, now there is a 50' buffer between back yards and the cemetery property line. You are welcome to come in to the office and review the proposal before the hearing. Have a good day!

I think we done won this thing as best we can, but I’m gonna keep my eyes on it!! I don’t wanna see anything built too close, but this may be the best compromise we can hope for.