Patsy Cline has an undisputed repute as one of many queens of nation music. But that doesn’t imply that she was at all times assured hits within the early a part of her quick recording profession – even proper after her debut success.
What got here after ‘Midnight’
In the spring of 1957, Patsy was nonetheless using the nation and pop charts in America together with her first profitable single on Decca, “Walkin’ After Midnight.” That reached No.2 within the nation format and No.12 within the pop market, and went on to be a major a part of Cline’s legacy.
On May 27, Decca launched her follow-up single, “Today, Tomorrow and Forever.” It was written by huge band chief, singer and composer Don Reid and backed with “Try Again.” The track got here from classes in New York with producer Paul Cohen. He used his affect to have the label push the discharge with all their may, even with a full-page commercial in Billboard.
But Patsy was in for a impolite awakening, and a recurring one. The track not solely did not make the charts, it grew to become the primary of no fewer than 12 single releases by Cline that missed the bestsellers, till she returned to favor in an enormous approach with 1961’s “I Fall To Pieces.”
The option to Amarillo
That interval in 1957 represented a contrasting time between Cline’s chart profile, and her extremely worthwhile field workplace enchantment. Indeed, two days earlier than the discharge of “Today, Tomorrow and Forever,” she carried out on the City Auditorium in Amarillo, Texas on a invoice headed by her Decca labelmate Brenda Lee, who was climbing the charts together with her first nation hit, “One Step At A Time.”
George Jones, one of many sizzling new nation stars of the day, was on that very same Amarillo invoice, as had been the Everly Brothers, who had entered the charts simply days earlier with their very own debut smash, “Bye Bye Love.” Patsy would have years to attend for her subsequent report success, however her nice recognition as a dwell performer would see her by.
Listen to the All Time Greatest Country Hits playlist, that includes Patsy Cline amongst dozens of nation legends.