Celebrating Patsy Cline Picks New President

By: Daneesha R. Davis
The Winchester Star

Not only can you hear the excitement in Judy Sue Huyett-Kempf’s voice, but you can practically feel it bursting from her.

Huyett-Kempf was named the new president of Celebrating Patsy Cline Inc., the nonprofit organization created to honor the country music sensation who was born in Winchester.

“It’s an honor,” Huyett-Kempf gushed on Friday. “I wanted to learn so much about her. And over the years, she’s become a part of me and my life.”

Huyett-Kempf’s appointment as head of the Winchester organization comes a week after former president Philip Martin was removed from the position for reasons that have not been disclosed. He became CPC’s president in March.

Right now, Huyett-Kempf said her objective is to get a permanent Patsy Cline museum in Winchester open in 2006. The museum’s temporary location is on the Loudoun Street Mall.

She said the group’s architectural firm is working with local companies and the nonprofit will be meeting with designers.

“We are well on our way,” she said.

Martin’s Dismissal Sparks 2 Board Departures

By: Laura B. Withers
The Winchester Star

The Nov. 30 removal of Philip Martin from his position as board president of Celebrating Patsy Cline Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the country music legend with Winchester roots, has left some of the late singer’s fans in shock.

Days after the CPC Board of Directors removed Martin from his position, two longtime Cline fans that said they were once actively involved in efforts to preserve her name resigned from the Winchester organization.

C. Mark Willix, a Rockmart, Ga., native and former chairman of the nonprofit’s Membership Committee, and Theresa M. Shalaby, a former board member from Nashville, said they were shocked and disappointed to learn that Martin had been asked to step down.

Willix and Shalaby announced their resignations in letters to board members following a private meeting held Nov. 30 in Winchester’s Kurtz Building.

Board members announced Martin’s departure following that meeting, but they remain tight-lipped about the reasoning behind his removal.

Since then, the group’s only correspondence to local media came in the form of a Friday news release announcing board member Judy Sue Huyett-Kempf’s election as president on Wednesday.

Celebrating Patsy Cline Board Mum on Future of President

By: Laura B. Withers
The Winchester Star

The Board of Directors for Celebrating Patsy Cline Inc., a nonprofit organization honoring the late country music legend with Winchester roots, may be trying to get rid of its president, but board members are staying tight-lipped about the matter.

The CPC Board of Directors met privately Wednesday evening in Winchester’s Kurtz Building to discuss the removal of Board President Philip L. Martin from his position at the organization’s helm.

The board did not allow media reporters to attend the meeting.

Because it is private organization that does not include members of a public body, CPC is not required to hold public meetings under the federal Freedom of Information Act.

Martin and other board members declined to answer questions after the meeting.

In a phone interview Wednesday afternoon, board member Karen Helm said the meeting was private, and the Board of Directors is planning to prepare a press release as soon as a decision is made.

“When we are prepared to release a statement as a group, we will do that,” Helm said. “We just don’t have any comment at this point.”

Dear Ms. Helm:

Please accept this as notification of my official resignation from the Board of Directors of Celebrating Patsy Cline.

It is with deep regret and a heavy heart that I do so.

The conduct of this board has been reprehensible to the point that I can no longer associate myself, my credibility, or my support with it.

Please do not dismiss this as simply blind support of Mr. Martin, but rather because my repeated pleas for honest information were consistently ignored. I have been told that there are “two sides to every story”, but your side has yet to have been told. I have fruitlessly implored board members to discuss the issues/concerns at hand.

I am deeply saddened and concerned by the seemingly self-destructive decision making of this group, and am convinced that CPC now has no credibility.

This organization is indeed accountable to the public, which supports it, and I anticipate that that same public will raise some very serious questions in the coming days. I hope that you are prepared to answer them openly and honestly; something that you have yet to do, which has largely prompted this resignation.

I wish to go on record as not supporting this decision, because as a board member, I was not approached, informed, nor asked my thoughts on the decision to approach Mr. Martin regarding his removal. Such actions make me question the real motives behind the decision, and about who was behind it.

I also wish to go on record as supporting the efforts of Mr. Martin. He accomplished in 10 months what this group could not do in over a decade. I applaud his efforts, talents, passion, and integrity. He brought much needed credibility to this organization. I am appalled that such a leader could be tossed away in such an arrogant and cavalier manner.

Please accept this resignation, and a vote of no confidence for this board’s ability to complete the goals that it once had.

I hereby withdraw all support of CPC.

I wish CPC the best of luck in overcoming the challenges that it has imposed upon itself.

My Deepest Regrets,
Theresa M. Shalaby

Dear Museum Supporters, Fans, Community Leaders, Music Industry Professionals, and Media Representatives:

We all have heard many "Good News...Bad News" stories in the past. Well, this will instead be, I feel "Great News...Sad News".

First, the Great News:

As many of you know, when I became President of Celebrating Patsy Cline, Inc. in February, I stated as my top 2 Goals (1) Obtaining a facility for the Patsy Cline Museum in downtown Winchester, and (2) Determine the best manner in which CPC could control Patsy's childhood home as a part of the Museum's assets and holdings.

I was told by the current Board that efforts should be aimed at raising $66,784 as stipulated in a Letter of Intent dated April 26, 2002 whereby the Adams family who are the current owners would sell the property to CPC. (For those of you outside the Winchester area and possibly less aware of the past, Fern Adams, the matriarch of the family, was the first President of CPC, and the family bought the home for the sole purpose that it would eventually become a part of CPC. Also, Fern and Doug's son Kevin was CPC President until his untimely death) Since CPC is a fledgling organization financially, and I wanted our primary fund-raising efforts to be focused on the Museum itself, I was intent on exploring other paths of dealing with the house. I met with Doug Adams, Fern's widower, shortly after I became President and shared with him my goals and strategic plans for CPC. I also presented a letter in which I asked that he and the children give serious thought and consideration to donating the house to CPC with the understanding that it would memorialize the legacies of Fern and Kevin. Doug encouraged me to meet with Richard Bell, the family representative to CPC and the managing partner of the Limited Partnership comprised of the Adams children and Doug. I met with Richard and his wife Sarah and over the next 4 months, we had several subsequent conversations and shared emails about my proposal. Richard told me the family would be convening in the Fall to discuss this approach.

On Tuesday, November 22, I received a letter from Richard with the Subject entitled: "Gift of 608 South Kent to CPC". I was thrilled and called Richard to tell him how grateful I was and what a wonderful Thanksgiving present this represented. I am extremely pleased to share with you this huge news. Without going into the details here, it is important to note that the conveyance of the property to CPC from the Adams Family will involve no monies being spent by CPC and, will, in fact, provide a positive cash flow of approximately $6,000 annually from the current rental income. I invited Richard to attend a special Board Meeting to present the formal agreement at that time. This is tremendous news and a huge accomplishment for CPC. I deeply thank Richard for his leadership and counsel to the family members to facilitate this important initiative. I know many of you share in his proud moment.

Now, the Sad News:

To my utter shock and dismay, I received a letter on Monday, November 21 from the Board of Directors of Celebrating Patsy Cline informing me that a special Board Meeting was to convene on November 30 for the sole expressed purpose of calling for my removal from the Board. Needless to say, the past eight days have been emotionally wrenching and so sad for me and my wife Donna. The letter states that "our visions for the museum and the path towards our ultimate goal do not seem to be synchronized closely enough for the majority of the Board of Directors to want to continue under your leadership". The Meeting is scheduled for 5:30pm today.

I have endeavored to lead this organization with focus, passion, energy, vision, business acumen, creativity, and above all, integrity. Many of you reading this I met during the past year and several new friendships have emerged for which I am most grateful. Some of you reading this have known me for a long time and have become a supporter of the Museum initiative because of that. To those of you who have supported me, new friends and old ones, I sincerely and genuinely thank you. For all of you Fans, and Patsy's daughter Julie, in particular, to see the tears of joy in your eyes for the truly significant accomplishments we have made during the past nine months under my leadership, was like nutrition to me and served to inspire me to even greater heights.

I remain committed to a lasting tribute to Patsy Cline. I promise to emerge from this disappointing occurrence and will likely continue to explore other ways I can contribute my talents and strengths to honor Patsy Cline and ensure that her legacy endures.

This will be my last CPC "E-News". For those of you who would like to contact me, and I hope many of you will, please write to me at philiplmartin@comcast.net or feel free to call me at (703) 904-4104.

Happy Holidays.

Philip Martin
President
Celebrating Patsy Cline, Inc.

Patsy Cline’s House Listed On National Register

Star Staff Report

RICHMOND — The house country music star Patsy Cline lived in while forging her musical destiny has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The home in Winchester, where Cline lived with her mother and two siblings, was listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register by the Historic Resources Board of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources at the Sept. 14 meeting. Word has just been received that the house has now been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Cline lived in the home from ages 16 to 21, the years 1948 until 1953, when she married her first husband, Gerald Cline. Thereafter, she resided at the house intermittently until 1957, the year her career soared after she won a competition on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts national television show singing “Walkin' After Midnight.”

“The family home was a foundation and a springboard for Patsy’s ambitious dreams of becoming a country music star,” according to a document prepared by the Department of Historic Resources for nomination to the VLR. “These were the formative, seminal years in Patsy Cline’s musical career and personal life,” the document states.

Many other sites in Winchester associated with Cline — the music store where she recorded her first demo, the drug store where she worked the soda fountain, and the clubs and the drive-in where she performed — have been either razed or significantly remodeled.

Childhood Home Now on National Register of Historic Places
Exciting News...."Spread the Word"....On November 17th, the National Park Service announced that the childhood home of Patsy Cline located at 608 South Kent Street in Winchester, Virginia, has been approved to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Many of you recall that the home accomplished a big hurdle in October when it was initially approved to be listed on the Virginia Registry. Now this prestigious national designation is even more special and noteworthy.

Patsy Cline Museum Newest Member of the Country Music Association
Also....More Great News: Effective today, The Patsy Cline Museum is the newest member of the Country Music Association (www.cmaworld.com)

CLINE GETS A DIAMOND

Country legend PATSY CLINE has joined the exclusive Recording Industry Association of America Diamond Club after selling 10 million copies of her GREATEST HITS album.

The CRAZY singer died in a plane crash in 1963 at the age of 30.

Her Greatest Hits compilation was released to mark the 10th anniversary of her death (1973).

Patsy Cline Joins RIAA Diamond Club

With her Greatest Hits album just certified for shipments 10 million copies, the late Patsy Cline has been added to a short list of artists earning an RIAA Diamond Award. Others previously surpassing the 10-million level include Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, the Dixie Chicks, the Eagles and Kid Rock. Cline died in a plane crash in 1963 at age 30. Her Greatest Hits compilation was released in 1973.

‘A Fascination For Diners’
New Owner Revises Menu Choices At The Triangle

By: Val Van Meter
The Winchester Star

When Jeff Roman, “Chef Jeff,” unlocked the door of the Triangle Diner at 5:15 one morning, he put in the wrong code for the alarm system.

When the alarm company called to check, “they didn’t recognize me,” said the former chef at the Lone Oak Restaurant, who took over the Triangle Diner Sept. 15.

“So they sent the police anyway. I was happy to see the response time. They were here in about four minutes.”

Roman has a few such stories, as he works to give the 57-year-old business new management and, maybe a new look.

Or, should that be a return to an old look?

“I grew up in diners,” said the New Jersey native, who got his start in his trade in his father’s restaurant when he had to stand on a stool to reach the counter.

“I’ve always had a fascination for diners.”

We have been approached by the Country Music Association to place an ad in the CMA Awards program book for the upcoming event on Tuesday evening, November 15.

Facts:
The CMA Awards Show this year will be in Madison Square Garden in New York City (first time... lots of extra "pomp" and "glitz" associated with Nashville going to the Big Apple) and will be internationally televised. In case you have never seen a CMA Awards Show, it is similar to the Oscars or Academy Awards... a huge, upscale event; however, this target audience represents the decision-makers which CPC needs to be in front of to support the museum financially and to leverage our Nashville "connections." There will be 11,200 occupied seats in Madison Square Garden. The audience will be comprised of only CMA members, e.g. artists, managers, booking agents, record label executives, DJ's, nominees, Country Music Music Hall of Fame members... clearly a "Who's Who" in Country Music.

Regular price of a half-page black and white ad: $4,125.00
(I have gone back and forth with CMA in negotiations and have gotten them to significantly reduce the cost. They are really wanting us to be involved and are helping us a lot. The negotiated price is significantly less than their non-profit price and represents a huge discount to CPC). Our price: $1,500!!

Deadline:
Monday, September 26 (sorry for the "short fuse," but CMA only contacted us six days ago.)

Request:
Celebrating Patsy Cline is looking for sponsors for the ad. I am seeking five (5) individuals/companies/organizations who can contribute $300.00 each toward this task. We will not have to pay the CMA until after November 15. Below is a copy of the ad layout. We would use the ad we placed in the CMA Music Festival program in Nashville in June, so no other costs would be incurred.

Cline's Va. Home Gets Landmark Status
Home in Virginia Where Patsy Cline Lived From Age 16 To 21 Recognized By State As A Landmark

WINCHESTER, Va. Sep 24, 2005 — The home of Patsy Cline, already a favorite stop for country music fans, is now recognized by Virginia as a landmark.

Cline, born 1932 as Virginia Paterson Hensley in Winchester, was in 1973 the first solo female to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. She is best known for "Crazy," the torch song penned by Willie Nelson.

Cline lived at 608 South Kent St. from age 16 to 21, and lived there off and on through 1957. The home was listed this month on the Virginia Landmarks Register. It also has been proposed for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.