Patsy Cline 50th Anniversary Memorial This Weekend
CAMDEN, Tenn. – After more than a year of planning, event coordinators are hoping this weekend’s memorial concert honoring Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas, Randy Hughes, and Hawkshaw Hawkins is one of the biggest events they have ever held. “Gone, But Not Forgotten” is a three-day event that commemorates the four Grand Ole Opry stars whose lives were lost in a tragic plane crash in a wooded area about three miles from Camden on March 5, 1963. Event Secretary, Debbie Kyle told WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News that Patsy Cline, who was among those lost, was known as a trailblazer in country music. “When you look at her career and the legacy she left behind she’s paved the way for so many women to be involved in country music,” The Grascals, which is a Grammy-nominated music group and many other country music stars including Bill Anderson and Jean Shepard are coming together for the 50th anniversary of the crash. “We’re excited about this. It turned into a community center by a local church here at New Beginning Church because our community did not have a civic center,” said event coordinator Terry Hudson. Held at an high school, where community members said they remember being at the time of the crash. Event organizers said it was a fitting place to hold an event like this. “We need to keep their memory alive and know they didn’t die in vain and it’s a good opportunity for the community to come together,” explained Kyle. Of those performing this weekend, they are hoping that it will inspire a younger generation that may not know of who Patsy Cline was. “This might give a new fan to listen to some of their music and appreciate the kind of contributions they made to country music,” said Hudson.
