On This Day in 1962, Patsy Cline Unknowingly Said Farewell With the Final Studio Album Released Before Her Death

On this day (August 6) in 1962, Patsy Cline released Sentimentally Yours. It was her third studio album and the final one released during her lifetime. The LP contained her final crossover hit. Moreover, the album revealed the plan she and her label had for the future of her career. Unfortunately, she died in a plane crash in March 1963, before she could capitalize on the momentum she spent years building.

Cline released her debut single, “A Church, a Courtroom, Then Goodbye,” in 1955. It failed to chart. All but one of her singles from the decade met the same fate. “Walkin’ After Midnight” was an early crossover hit, reaching No. 2 on the country chart and No. 12 on the Hot 100.

She finally found success with her 1961 album Showcase. It contained “I Fall to Pieces” and “Crazy,” which were both major crossover hits. With Sentimentally Yours, Cline attempted to further leverage her mass appeal. The singles achieved that goal. “She’s Got You” topped the country chart and landed at No. 14 on the Hot 100. The LP’s second single, “Heartaches,” only reached the pop chart, where it peaked at No. 73. It was also her first top 40 hit in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at No. 31.

Patsy Cline Harnessed Pop Power for Sentimentally Yours

The tracks on Sentimentally Yours show that Patsy Cline was looking to pull in a wider audience. The album featured two new songs. The hit “She’s Got You,” penned by Hank Cochran, and its B-side, the Mel Tillis-Fred Burch co-write “Strange.” The rest of the album consisted of country covers and pop standards.

She covered “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” “I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still in Love with You),” and “Half As Much” from Hank Williams’ discography. The other seven tracks on the album, including the single “Heartaches,” were renditions of pop standards.

Cline had two other hits in 1962 that weren’t included on the album. “So Wrong” was a top 20 country hit and “When I Get Thru with You (You’ll Love Me Too)” reached No. 10. Both songs also charted on the Hot 100.

Featured Image by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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