Patsy performed at the Mint Casino's "Merri-Mint Theater" from November 23 to December 28, 1962. At one point during the run, she developed "Vegas Throat" due to the dry desert heat and had to lip-synch to her records for several shows.
The Jordanaires appeared on all of Cline's Decca sessions from her first in November 1960 to her last in February 1963. They also provided background vocals for Elvis Presley.
Cline and her brother Sam were involved in a near-fatal collision when their car was struck head-on by another vehicle. She would have permanent scars and chronic pain for the rest of her life, but would appear onstage at the Grand Ole Opry supported by crutches just a few weeks later.
Patsy's plane crashed in heavy weather on the evening of March 5, 1963. Her recovered wristwatch had stopped at 6:20 p.m. The plane was found some 90 miles (140 km) from its Nashville destination, in a forest outside of Camden, Tennessee.
Loretta Lynn's daughter, Patsy Lynn Russell, is named after Cline who helped Loretta navigate the not-so-female-friendly country music world until her sudden death in 1963. Loretta would later tell Entertainment Weekly: "When Patsy died, my God, not only did I lose my best girlfriend, but I lost a great person that was taking care of me. I thought, 'Now somebody will whip me for sure.'"
Her grave is marked with a bronze plaque, which reads: "Virginia H. Dick ('Patsy Cline' is noted under her name) 'Death Cannot Kill What Never Dies: Love'." A memorial marks the exact place off Mt Carmel Road in Camden, Tennessee, where the plane crashed in the still-remote forest.
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