Patsy Cline Album: “Showcase-With the Jordanaires”

Description :

Personnel: Patsy Cline (vocals); Hank Garland, Randy Hughes, Grady Martin (guitar); Ben Keith (steel guitar); Hargus "Pig" Robbins (piano); Floyd Cramer (organ); Harold Bradley, Bob Moore (bass); Doug Kirkham, Buddy Harman (drums). The Jordanaires: Gordon Stoker, Hoyt Hawkins, Ray Walker, Neal Matthews, Jr. (background vocals). Includes chronology and liner notes by Jay Orr and Don Roy. Also available with SENTIMENTALLY YOURS on 1 cassette. In a world of endless Patsy Cline greatest hits packages, SHOWCASE is a rarity: a reissue of an actual Patsy Cline LP, one of the few actually released in her lifetime. Of course, in 1961 an album was still essentially a collection of hits, or rather a way to sell a few hits again along with some other singles and b-sides. "I Fall To Pieces" signaled the beginning of the second phase of her career when she signed to Decca in 1960 (her prior recordings, from 1955 to 1960, were made under contract to the Four Star company) and her resulting emergence as a crossover phenomenon. As the liner notes by Jay Orr and Don Roy wryly observe, the original artwork simply featured three small photos of Cline. In the aftermath of her tragic plane crash, the label used the more sophisticated shot of the singer (seen on the CD reissue as well), and gave the Jordanaires album-cover billing. You can hear the difference just listening to the new version of "Walkin' After Midnight," in which the Jordanaires smooth background crooning has replaced the hard-driving honky-tonk of the original.

Of all the millions of records that Patsy made during her tragically few thirty years, this is one of only three to be published during her lifetime. I'd have to say that it is my favorite as well. South of the Border is such a wonderful song. I sometimes pull this CD out of my shelf, just to listen to South of the Border. I submitted this song on tape with the sheet music to my high school's Latino Band, that plays spanish songs. If you could have only one Patsy Cline album, I'd chose this one. Buy it at once.

I have been listening to this album since I was a kid, and Patsy was still alive. My aunt had a vinyl copy that she loved, and my cousins and I would play it as loud as we could while we cleaned house and did dishes.

These versions are her best recordings of these songs, because you will find other versions on other albums. The backups by the Jordanaires (they backed up Elvis several times, too) keep this so smooth...

I have bought this album in every new format over the years; my own vinyl, then eight track (REALLY!), casette, at least two CD copies and soon in MP3.

If you want Patsy, this is the place to start.