Honky Tonk Angel (37 page)

“They had Jimmy Dean and Jack Benny. I guess he come to see Tommy Jackson play the fiddle. He was there anyway.
²⁶
Above all, and the most inspiring thing of the whole thing that excited me the most, was Princess Manassia, who is the sister of the King of Persia,
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was there in the box to my right. And after the show was over, she came to the fella who was in charge of all the doings, Dr. Brooks of the musicians union there in New York, and she told him—well, I haven’t gotten over it yet—she said, ‘The girl that knocked me out—all the acts were tremendous, but the most tremendous thing on the show as far as I’m concerned was the Cline girl.’ Talk about it. Well, I was all shook up! They couldn’t hold me. I said, ‘Well, why didn’t you tell me?’ We had WSM’s photographer there. I’d-a took a picture of me and her and hung it on the wall.”

Patsy sang her swinging rendition of Hughie Cannon’s standard “Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home,” and then, without any introduction, she went into “I Fall to Pieces.”

Following a commercial break, the announcer commented on her recovery and Patsy received a burst of warm-hearted applause. “Thank you so very much,” she said. “You’re wonderful. The greatest gift a person can have, regardless of hit records or not and I have been very fortunate in the last six to eight months—but the greatest gift that you folks could have given me was the encouragement that you gave me right at the very time when I needed you most.

“You came through with the flyingest colors! I received over two thousand cards and letters and a lot of ‘em were from here in Atlanta. I just wanna say, you’ll never know how happy you made this ole country gal! And I just hope I don’t try to live up to this ‘Crazy’ bit like I did the last one. We’d like to do the flip side of ‘Crazy’ for you right now. Gimme about a B-flat, boys, or just gimme a B and I’ll put the flat to it.” She sang “Who Can I Count On?” and “Fool Number One” and closed with “Crazy,” which received a standing ovation.

Over the next few weeks Patsy was to commute to New York for Dick Clark’s “American Bandstand” and “The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show,” both on ABC. She did the Ozark Jubilee and regional shows, such as Buddy Dean’s in Baltimore. In
Billboard
’s issue of December 5, “Crazy,” while in the country top-5, peaked at number nine on their pop chart. “As you might expect,” informed Ralph Emery,
“Patsy evoked quite a lot of jealousy in town. When a new artist, and she was relatively new, has a hit, it’s not unusual. Then that artist has another, which Patsy did, and there’s more jealousy. The third time, when she has another hit, then everybody wants in. Suddenly Patsy was found to be very acceptable. Some of the jealousy faded because she was steamrolling the business like no one we’d ever seen.

“She was making great inroads in pop with a new type of country, one with a contemporary sound. So, the attitude went, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. It was that way for Patsy. She found a lot of respect in Music City. Success does that.”

Patsy, determined not to have another dry spell, maintained an excruciating schedule, working far too much, too soon, and too hard. Her new motto was “I want to see some results!”

“When an artist or writer has a number one,” said Hank Cochran, “there’s no money for at least a year. Patsy and Charlie were still having a hard time. I left Mom Upchurch’s and moved my wife Shirley and the kids into a three-room trailer. I was writing at breakneck speed for me. When I finished a song I thought was right for Patsy, I’d call and either she’d come over or I’d go there.

“At her house, I’d waltz in and very coyly say, ‘Gal, do I have a hit for you!’ I did, but she didn’t always like them. Patsy was striking while the iron was hot. Owen was getting ready to record her again around the middle of December, and they were looking for a special song for a new single. I didn’t know of anything really good floating around. She said, ‘Hoss, I need a smash, especially now, so look around. And, God, if you find one, holler!’

“I couldn’t get that thought out of my head. I went to the Pamper Music studio in Goodlettsville and worked. I was still there when everybody left for home. I got to knocking around with the guitar. Then something hit me. I worked it up in about fifteen minutes.”

Cochran immediately rang Patsy. “I found the son of a bitch!”

“Who?” she asked.

“What.”

“What?”

“I’m a fucking genius! I found the son of a bitch you been looking for! I got a hit for you!”

“Well, get your ass over here with it pronto!”

“I’m on my way!”

“Hank!”

“Yep?”

“On your way, stop and get us a bottle!”

Cochran called home to say he’d be late, grabbed his guitar, then hopped into the 1962 Falcon owned by the music publisher. He zipped from Goodlettsville into Nashville, made the stop at a package store and headed to Hillhurst Drive. Patsy and Dottie were preparing supper.

“Hold everything!” Hank announced as he walked into the kitchen. “Whose fat ass is that sticking outa the refrigerator? Hell, I knew it was you, Dottie!”

“Okay, where is it, you fucking genius?” snapped Patsy.

“Hello, Patsy!”

“Cut to the chase.” She turned the gas on the stove off. “This better be good!”

“It is.”

“Did you pick up a bottle?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Let’s have it!” Patsy went to the cupboard, pulled down three glasses and poured. “Hoss, let’s hear this goddamn masterpiece!”

Cochran took his guitar and began:

“Wait! Start over.”

“I told you you were gonna love it!”

“Modesty becomes you. Where’s that bottle?” She poured another round of drinks. “Sing it again!” Then she poured another round and ordered, “Hoss, sing it again! I wanna learn it this time.”

When they finished the bottle, Patsy was still singing. She and Cochran were in tears from the emotion she brought to the song. Patsy phoned Randy and sang “She’s Got You” as Cochran accompanied.