That Eric Alper

The legacy of legendary country vocalist Patsy Cline, whose storied recordings of the 1950s and 1960s with producer Owen Bradley helped establish country music’s pop-crossover Nashville Sound, receives a new chapter on Record Store Day (April 12) with “Imagine That: The Lost Recordings (1954-1963),” a revelatory collection of previously unreleased recordings from Elemental Music/Deep Digs.

This unprecedented, limited edition two-LP set, produced in association and with the full endorsement of the Patsy Cline Estate, features 48 unissued tracks, all faithfully transferred, mastered and released legitimately for the first time. They survey the full breadth of the singer’s artistry, from her first days as a professional musician with Bill Peer & the Melody Boys and Girls in the early ‘50s to the apex of her popularity, just weeks before she tragically died at the age of 30 in a plane crash on March 5, 1963.

This two-LP set (April 12) will also be released as two CDs and Digital Download on April 18.

Drawn from radio broadcasts, TV shows, and demo recordings, these meticulously restored performances cast a fresh spotlight on Cline’s luminous, powerful voice, and eschew the opulent strings and vocal choruses of Bradley’s productions in favor of an intimate, unadorned, earthy sound. Affecting alternate versions of Cline’s chart-topping crossover hits “Walkin’ After Midnight,” “I Fall to Pieces,” “Crazy,” and “She’s Got You” are included. She is heard duetting with such fellow country stars as Cowboy Copas (who died in the same crash that took Cline’s life), Ferlin Husky, Red Foley, Bobby Lord, Ernest Tubb, and Lonzo & Oscar.

Co-produced by award-winning archival producer Zev Feldman, Cline discographer and authority George E. Hewitt, and sound restoration engineer Dylan Utz, Patsy Cline – Imagine That features a detailed track-by-track discography; a historical note by author/writer Martin Melhuish; reflections on Cline’s art by musicians k.d. lang, Marty Stuart, Ray Benson, and more.

Cline’s daughter Julie Fudge, who serves as CAO of Patsy Cline Enterprises LLC, says, “Our family has been blessed to have the recordings, the videos, and the photos that have remained since Mom’s passing in 1963. But we have been even more blessed because of the fan base that has kept her so alive. Those that have continued to play her music. Those artists working in film and commercials and television that have used her music in their projects. We are blessed every time we hear her voice. And now these recordings, all fresh and new, is something like a dream. All the hard work and research, all the time and effort…. all have led to something new in a world where we never thought that was possible.”

“We’ve assembled an exciting collection of rare performances that span Patsy’s entire recording career, and this marks the official album debut for all tracks included here,” Deep Digs founder Feldman says. “I’m proud of this release and hope the music will keep Patsy’s legacy alive as she continues to gain new fans with that unmistakable voice. Imagine this, if you can – a new compilation of rare recordings being presented over 60 years after the passing of a great artist! Thanks, above all, to Patsy Cline for shining as bright as ever, and for bringing so much joy to our collective hearts with your great music.”

Cline expert Hewitt says, “In spite of Patsy’s continued popularity, a total of 74 tracks sat unreleased before work began on our project – a considerable number for an artist with so few studio recordings. Some have traded as bootlegs among collectors, while others were newly discovered thanks to research for this album….These four dozen tracks represent two-thirds of Patsy’s unissued material at the time of release. We’re proud to officially introduce a total of 15 new songs for this album – an astounding number for any legacy artist.”

Dylan Utz, who transferred many of the tracks heard on Patsy Cline – Imagine That, adds, “Every performance in this set was recorded live, not carefully constructed in the same sense as a studio master. These tracks feature unique pacing and arrangements, and more than stand on their own. And the new songs are a revelation. If you thought you knew Patsy Cline, this album may change that. These lost recordings offer further insight into the versatility of this dynamic and engaging songstress. Prepare to have the record rewritten.”

In conversation with Hewitt, the longtime Canadian pop/country star k.d. lang — whose 1988 album Shadowland paid explicit tribute to Cline’s art — said of the new release, “From a spiritual perspective, this tends to happen for great artists like Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, and others in all genres. These are treasure vases that get discovered over time. And I think that’s part of the enduring legacy of great artists – they’ve planted these seeds, and they unearth at their own leisure.”

Singer, songwriter, and country music historian Stuart told Hewitt, “Thank you for doing this work. It’s hard work, and the world just needs to hear it. I love it when things like this come along – a picture you’ve never seen, a recording you’ve never heard, or a story that you just know must be true. Country music has become a global empire, built on the shoulders of people like Patsy, and I think it’s great that the world still honors her for her presence in it. The legend is off the ground, never to come back, and it just keeps gaining. She’s still the gal.”

Benson, founding lead vocalist of the Texas western swing band Asleep at the Wheel, added, “I’m glad your team found these recordings because they’re just so cool, man. I’m just amazed.”

The stunning trove of never before released music on Patsy Cline – Imagine That contributes to an insightful, unique perspective on the art and historical import of Patsy Cline, which was summed up in a quote cited by Melhuish from her friend and country music contemporary, the late Loretta Lynn: “Patsy was probably the first woman to say what she felt. She was the first one that went over to the pop charts, and she was first class all the way. She wanted to please people but, if it didn’t please her, she wouldn’t do it. Patsy was a strong person. She was the first in Nashville to step outside the boundaries and go in different directions when it came to music.”