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March 5, 1963: Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas, and Hawkshaw Hawkins are killed in a plane crash in TN
Last edited Fri Mar 5, 2021, 01:16 PM - Edit history (3)
Rerun from last year:
March 5, 1963: Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas, and Hawkshaw Hawkins die in a plane crash in Tennessee
On This Day ... 1963 – Country music stars Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas, and Hawkshaw Hawkins were killed when their Piper PA-24 Comanche crashed shortly after takeoff in Camden, Tennessee, U.S.
1963 Camden PA-24 crash
On March 5, 1963, country music stars Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas, and Hawkshaw Hawkins were killed in an airplane crash near Camden, Tennessee, United States, along with the pilot Randy Hughes. The accident occurred as the three artists were returning home to Nashville, Tennessee, after performing in Kansas City, Missouri.
Shortly after takeoff from a refueling stop, the pilot lost control of the small Piper PA-24 Comanche while flying in low visibility conditions, and subsequently crashed into a wooded area, leaving no survivors.
Investigators concluded that the crash was caused by the non-instrument rated pilot's decision to operate under visual flight rules (VFR) in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).
On March 5, 1963, country music stars Patsy Cline, Cowboy Copas, and Hawkshaw Hawkins were killed in an airplane crash near Camden, Tennessee, United States, along with the pilot Randy Hughes. The accident occurred as the three artists were returning home to Nashville, Tennessee, after performing in Kansas City, Missouri.
Shortly after takeoff from a refueling stop, the pilot lost control of the small Piper PA-24 Comanche while flying in low visibility conditions, and subsequently crashed into a wooded area, leaving no survivors.
Investigators concluded that the crash was caused by the non-instrument rated pilot's decision to operate under visual flight rules (VFR) in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).
Patsy Cline
Cline at 4 Star Records in March 1957
Birth name: Virginia Patterson Hensley
Also known as: Ginny, Patsy
Born: September 8, 1932, Winchester, Virginia, U.S.
Died: March 5, 1963 (aged 30), near Camden, Tennessee, U.S.
Associated acts: Kitty Wells, Jean Shepard, Jimmy Dean, Jim Reeves, Eddy Arnold, Skeeter Davis, Brenda Lee, Loretta Lynn, Jan Howard, Dottie West, Willie Nelson
Patsy Cline (born Virginia Patterson Hensley; September 8, 1932 – March 5, 1963) was an American country music singer and part of the Nashville sound during the late 1950s and early 1960s. She successfully "crossed over" to pop music and was one of the most influential, successful, and acclaimed vocalists of the 20th century. She died at age 30 in the crash of a private airplane.
Cline was known for her rich tone, emotionally expressive and bold contralto voice, and her role as a country music pioneer. She, along with Kitty Wells, helped to pave the way for women as headline performers in the genre. She overcame poverty, a devastating automobile accident, and significant professional obstacles, and she has been cited as an inspiration by Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes, and other singers in diverse styles. Books, movies, documentaries, and stage plays document her life and career.
Her hits began in 1957 with Donn Hecht's and Alan Block's "Walkin' After Midnight," Hank Cochran's and Harlan Howard's "I Fall to Pieces," Hank Cochran's "She's Got You," and Willie Nelson's "Crazy," and ended in 1963 with Don Gibson's "Sweet Dreams." Millions of her records have sold since her death. She won awards and accolades, causing many to view her as an icon at the level of Jim Reeves, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley. She became the first female solo artist inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1973, ten years after her death. In 1999, she was voted number 11 on VH1's special The 100 Greatest Women in Rock and Roll. In 2002, she was voted Number One on Country Music Television's The 40 Greatest Women of Country Music, and she was ranked 46th in the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time" issue of Rolling Stone magazine. Her 1973 Country Music Hall of Fame plaque reads: "Her heritage of timeless recordings is testimony to her artistic capacity."
Cline at 4 Star Records in March 1957
Birth name: Virginia Patterson Hensley
Also known as: Ginny, Patsy
Born: September 8, 1932, Winchester, Virginia, U.S.
Died: March 5, 1963 (aged 30), near Camden, Tennessee, U.S.
Associated acts: Kitty Wells, Jean Shepard, Jimmy Dean, Jim Reeves, Eddy Arnold, Skeeter Davis, Brenda Lee, Loretta Lynn, Jan Howard, Dottie West, Willie Nelson
Patsy Cline (born Virginia Patterson Hensley; September 8, 1932 – March 5, 1963) was an American country music singer and part of the Nashville sound during the late 1950s and early 1960s. She successfully "crossed over" to pop music and was one of the most influential, successful, and acclaimed vocalists of the 20th century. She died at age 30 in the crash of a private airplane.
Cline was known for her rich tone, emotionally expressive and bold contralto voice, and her role as a country music pioneer. She, along with Kitty Wells, helped to pave the way for women as headline performers in the genre. She overcame poverty, a devastating automobile accident, and significant professional obstacles, and she has been cited as an inspiration by Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes, and other singers in diverse styles. Books, movies, documentaries, and stage plays document her life and career.
Her hits began in 1957 with Donn Hecht's and Alan Block's "Walkin' After Midnight," Hank Cochran's and Harlan Howard's "I Fall to Pieces," Hank Cochran's "She's Got You," and Willie Nelson's "Crazy," and ended in 1963 with Don Gibson's "Sweet Dreams." Millions of her records have sold since her death. She won awards and accolades, causing many to view her as an icon at the level of Jim Reeves, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley. She became the first female solo artist inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1973, ten years after her death. In 1999, she was voted number 11 on VH1's special The 100 Greatest Women in Rock and Roll. In 2002, she was voted Number One on Country Music Television's The 40 Greatest Women of Country Music, and she was ranked 46th in the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time" issue of Rolling Stone magazine. Her 1973 Country Music Hall of Fame plaque reads: "Her heritage of timeless recordings is testimony to her artistic capacity."
She was number 2 in jukebox sales in 1959. Some guy named Elvis or whatever was number one.
Cowboy Copas
Background information
Birth name: Lloyd Estel Copas
Also known as: Cowboy Copas
Born: July 15, 1913, Blue Creek, Ohio
Died: March 5, 1963 (aged 49), Camden, Tennessee
Genres: country music, honky tonk
Associated acts: Pee Wee King
Lloyd Estel Copas (July 15, 1913 – March 5, 1963), "the Country Gentleman of Song", known by his stage name Cowboy Copas, was an American country music singer popular from the 1940s until his death in the 1963 plane crash that also killed country stars Patsy Cline and Hawkshaw Hawkins. He was a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Background information
Birth name: Lloyd Estel Copas
Also known as: Cowboy Copas
Born: July 15, 1913, Blue Creek, Ohio
Died: March 5, 1963 (aged 49), Camden, Tennessee
Genres: country music, honky tonk
Associated acts: Pee Wee King
Lloyd Estel Copas (July 15, 1913 – March 5, 1963), "the Country Gentleman of Song", known by his stage name Cowboy Copas, was an American country music singer popular from the 1940s until his death in the 1963 plane crash that also killed country stars Patsy Cline and Hawkshaw Hawkins. He was a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Hawkshaw Hawkins
Birth name: Harold Franklin Hawkins
Also known as: Hawkshaw Hawkins
Born: December 22, 1921, Huntington, West Virginia
Died: March 5, 1963 (aged 41), Camden, Tennessee
Genres: country music, honky tonk
Harold Franklin Hawkins (December 22, 1921 – March 5, 1963), better known as Hawkshaw Hawkins, was an American country music singer popular from the 1950s into the early 1960s known for his rich, smooth vocals and music drawn from blues, boogie and honky tonk. At 6 ft 5 inches tall, he had an imposing stage presence, and he dressed more conservatively than some other male country singers. Hawkins died in the 1963 plane crash that also killed country stars Patsy Cline and Cowboy Copas. He was a member of the Grand Ole Opry and was married to country star Jean Shepard.
Birth name: Harold Franklin Hawkins
Also known as: Hawkshaw Hawkins
Born: December 22, 1921, Huntington, West Virginia
Died: March 5, 1963 (aged 41), Camden, Tennessee
Genres: country music, honky tonk
Harold Franklin Hawkins (December 22, 1921 – March 5, 1963), better known as Hawkshaw Hawkins, was an American country music singer popular from the 1950s into the early 1960s known for his rich, smooth vocals and music drawn from blues, boogie and honky tonk. At 6 ft 5 inches tall, he had an imposing stage presence, and he dressed more conservatively than some other male country singers. Hawkins died in the 1963 plane crash that also killed country stars Patsy Cline and Cowboy Copas. He was a member of the Grand Ole Opry and was married to country star Jean Shepard.
I got a head start on the anniversary a month ago, on February 2.
Yes, you are correct. 02-03-1959 was the date of the crash. The show was the night before.
This should be right up your alley:
Now is a good time to link to those videos again.
Wait -- wait -- this!
This is my favorite Patsy Cline video:
Here's The Porter Wagoner Show Full Episode 1º (Guest Hawkshaw Hawkins) 1961. Let's start it when Porter Wagoner starts to introduce Hawkshaw Hawkins: {I'll have to find a new link for this one.}
?t=180
Until I can find that one again, here's Hawkshaw Hawkins on Ozark Jubilee:
One more. There aren't too many videos of Hawkshaw Hawkins out there.
This should be right up your alley:
Now is a good time to link to those videos again.
GatorRock788
Published on Mar 4, 2014
Wait -- wait -- this!
Graham Tichy
Published on Feb 29, 2008
Enjoy!
This is my favorite Patsy Cline video:
crazy4patsycline
Published on Jul 9, 2008
From "Community Jamboree" in 1960
Here's The Porter Wagoner Show Full Episode 1º (Guest Hawkshaw Hawkins) 1961. Let's start it when Porter Wagoner starts to introduce Hawkshaw Hawkins: {I'll have to find a new link for this one.}
?t=180
Until I can find that one again, here's Hawkshaw Hawkins on Ozark Jubilee:
GatorRock788
Published on May 28, 2017
Ozark Jubilee 1955 - This may be the first time Hawkshaw and Jean performed together on TV. They were married five years later in 1960
One more. There aren't too many videos of Hawkshaw Hawkins out there.
GatorRock788
Published on Aug 29, 2013
This clip is mentioned in Jean's autobiography "Down Through the Years" on page 98.
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