Patsy Cline Albums (14)
'Walkin' After Midnight: The Original Sessions'
Release Date 7/22/2003
Tracks 14
Label Dualtone
See Album Tracklist and Review
'Live at the Cimarron Ballroom'
Release Date 7/29/1997
Tracks 18
Label MCA
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What The Critics Say
Recorded at a Tulsa, OK, show on July 29, 1961, this newly released concert performance captures Patsy Cline at what was then a new peak in her professional career, enjoying her first number one country hit at the time with "I Fall to Pieces." The set she does on this disc includes that song, along with "Walking After Midnight," "Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home," "Stupid Cupid," "Shake, Rattle & Roll," "Lovesick Blues," "When My Dreamboat Comes Home," and "A Poor Man's Roses." She's in good form, although, alas, hardly at the peak of her powers -- the singer had barely survived an automobile accident 15 days earlier, and was on crutches and still bore scars on her face. She talks rather freely about the accident at one point and seems to be in good spirits, and this is, in many ways, a typical show of hers (although many numbers she did haven't survived on the tape), but probably not the one that she would have wanted to represent her concert work to posterity. Her raspy enthusiasm on "Shake, Rattle & Roll" is effective, and everything here works, especially the eight-piece band backing her up, although they're somewhat under-recorded. Still, any newly discovered Patsy Cline performances are worth hearing, and this one especially, as the closest thing to an official live album that we'll ever see. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
'Remembering the Queen of Country'
Release Date 2/23/1996
Tracks 10
Label Intercontinental
See Album Tracklist and Review
'The Birth of a Star'
Release Date 1/1/1996
Tracks 19
Label Razor & Tie
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What The Critics Say
Although Cline only had one hit in the late '50s ("Walking After Midnight"), she managed to appear on Arthur Godfrey's popular network television show several times in 1957-58. This disc presents 17 performances that she delivered on these programs (including two versions of "Walking After Midnight"), accompanied by Godfrey's house band. In truth, this isn't the best context in which to hear Cline. It's far more pop than country in orientation, especially given the mainstream flavor of her accompanists, whose arrangements were far from rootsy and could be downright square, especially with the frequent interjections of brass and clarinet. Cline herself had yet to reach her vocal peak, but she does project with assurance on this material, most of which was issued in the late '50s on her official (and better) studio recordings. It's not one of the first Cline albums that should be added to your collection, but it's certainly of considerable interest to serious Cline fans, with versions of "Your Cheatin' Heart" and the spirituals "Down by the Riverside" and "The Man Upstairs" rating as the most unusual items. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
'Loved and Lost Again'
Release Date 12/1/1995
Tracks 10
Label Sony Special Products
See Album Tracklist and Review
'Dear God'
Release Date 11/7/1995
Tracks 10
Label Universal Special Products
See Album Tracklist and Review
'Sings Songs of Love'
Release Date 1/1/1995
Tracks 10
Label Universal Special Products
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
MCA Special Products' Patsy Cline Sings Songs of Love is a budget-priced collection that features ten love and heartbreak songs, including the hits "I Fall to Pieces," "Sweet Dreams (Of You)," and "Crazy." Unlike many budget-priced collections, this disc has a good concept that provides thematic unity, resulting in a thoroughly entertaining listen that's worth the budget price. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
A sequel to Live at the Opry, it's not called "Live at the Opry, Vol. 2" because it wasn't taken from Opry broadcasts, but from radio shows produced for the U.S. Navy and Armed Forces. The 12 performances date from 1956 to 1962, and are of special interest in that they include five songs that she never recorded in the studio for commercial release, including numbers by Roger Miller, Webb Pierce, and Sonny James. Cline's in good form throughout, the fidelity is very good, and the arrangements on the whole are considerably sparer than her studio recordings were wont to employ. The straight-ahead reading of "Strange," a top-notch 1962 Mel Tillis composition that went on the B-side of "She's Got You," is a particular highlight. A good album that will appeal to most country fans, not just Cline collectors. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
In 1988 -- 25 years after Patsy Cline's untimely death at the age of 30 -- MCA released this collection of previously unreleased Grand Ole Opry broadcasts, which span 1956-1962. Even if Live at the Opry had been extremely disappointing, there would have been an audience for this 28-minute CD. Cline, after all, went down in history as one of country's all-time greats (despite having a much too short career), and her more obsessive fans would have welcomed the arrival of this release regardless of the quality. But Live at the Opry is a generally rewarding, if imperfect and brief, document of Cline's performances at Nashville's most prestigious venue. The sound quality isn't always first-rate; at times, the sound is a bit scratchy for late-'50s and early-'60s recordings. But the sound is never bad -- only imperfect -- and Cline is in fine form on inspired performances of hits like "Crazy," "I Fall to Pieces," "She's Got You," and "Walkin' After Midnight." Cline was never a country purist, but to people who appreciate a broader, more expansive view of country, she was an impressive example of someone who truly pushed the genre's boundaries. A wide variety of influences assert themselves on Live at the Opry, including rock & roll, jazz, torch singing, traditional pop, and Tin Pan Alley. Country was Cline's foundation, but that didn't prevent her from being affected (either directly or indirectly) by the contributions of Billie Holiday, Jo Stafford, and Ella Fitzgerald. Those with a casual interest in Cline's legacy would be better off with a collection of her best-known studio recordings, but for the seasoned Cline enthusiast, Live at the Opry has a lot to offer -- imperfections and all. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
