Country Music Memories: Patsy Cline Signs First Record Contract

Sixty-seven years ago today, Patsy Cline‘s career officially got started. On Sept. 30, 1954, the singer signed her first recording contract, with Bill McCall of Four Star Records, when she was only 22 years old.

Cline had been playing around her hometown area of Winchester, Va., prior to signing her first record deal. After the release of her single “A Church, a Courtroom & Then Good-Bye” in 1955, she made her first appearance at the Grand Ole Opry.

Although her contract with Four Star Records in many ways introduced Cline to the music world and vice versa, the “Crazy” singer said that the agreement was not mutually beneficial, as it only allowed her to record songs from the Four Star Records publishing company. The contract also stipulated that Cline only sing country songs — a mandate she disliked.

Cline left Four Star Records to sign with Decca Records, and her self-titled debut album on Decca was released in 1957. The country legend stayed with Decca throughout the remainder of her career. Her last album, Sentimentally Yours, was released in 1962, less than one year before her tragic death in an airplane crash.

This story was originally written by Gayle Thompson, and revised by Annie Zaleski.

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