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Honky Tonk Angel: The Intimate Story of Patsy Cline
Earthy, sexy, and vivacious, the life of beloved country singer, Patsy Cline, who soared from obscurity to international fame to tragic death in just thirty short years, is explored in colorful and poignant detail. An innovator-and even a hell-raiser-Cline broke all the boys’ club barriers of Nashville’s music business in the 1950s and brought a new Nashville sound to the nation with her pop hits and torch ballads like “Walking After Midnight,” “I Fall to Pieces“ and "Crazy.” She is the subject of a major Hollywood movie and countless articles, and her albums are still selling 45 years after her death. Ellis Nassour was the very first to write about Cline and did so with the cooperation of the stars who knew and loved her-including Jimmy Dean, Jan Howard, Brenda Lee, Loretta Lynn, Roger Miller, Dottie West, and Faron Young. He was the only writer to interview Cline's mother and husbands. This updated edition features not only a complete discography and a host of never-before-published photographs, but includes an afterword that details controversial claims about her birth, the battle between Cline's siblings for her possessions, the amazing influence Cline had on a new generation of singers and, in Cline’s own words from letters to a devoted friend, her excitement as her career soared to new heights and her marriage descended to new depths.
546 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
December 11, 2020
3.5 stars
"She was a hurt individual, a great cut-up on the outside but hurting on the inside . . . The secret behind Patsy was how she lived every note and word of her songs . . . You could feel the hate and bitterness, her own experiences. Patsy had a story to tell, and nobody ever knew what is was. If there were parallels in her music, she had a way of identifying with them." -- musical colleague Lightnin' Chance, page 181
Patsy Cline (1932-1963) was a rising vocal superstar - and arguably one of America's first crossover artists, with her records charting high on both the country and the pop Top-40 format - who is now probably chiefly remembered for the popular songs 'Walkin' After Midnight,' 'I Fall to Pieces,' and 'Crazy' (her three biggest chart successes . . . except this book reveals she did not particularly want to record or release any of them at the time - ?!), plus her untimely death in a tragic airplane crash.
Nassour's Honky Tonk Angel was sort of an uneven biography. I was not a fan of the many recreated conversational scenes - there were numerous pages of family members, friends, or fellow musicians recounting moments in which both their and Ms Cline's often-colorful exchanges were presented in full quotes - as these were recalled 20 or more years later. Who knows - maybe all of these folks have amazing or first-rate memories (and Ms Cline seems like the type of person who had made quite an impression on them), but it felt sort of wrong to unquestionably present all of it as fact.
However, I think Ms Cline is a worthy subject of an in-depth bio (and I could find only three when I searched on Amazon), and Nassour delivers on that end. In the most complimentary sense it seems like he talked to just about everyone from Ms Cline's early years in Virginia or her later career years in Tennessee. She is a study in contrasts - hard-drinking, brassy, bold, and very direct in her words so that she was very much a 'man's woman'-type, but yet also strongly ultra-feminine, supportive, and sisterly towards other women, especially to fellow newcomers such as Loretta Lynn and Dottie West.
It took a decade for Ms Cline to become an 'overnight success,' and when she finally scored her first hit it then took her two years to have a solid follow-up. She also had two problematic marriages, and nearly died in the summer of 1961 from traumatic injuries received in a head-on traffic collision.
As an unusual post-script, I'll mention that my favorite of Ms Cline's songs is 'She's Got You.' That tune is a perfect marriage of EVERYTHING that made her music really special - Cline's aching voice, wrapped around the plaintive lyrics, guided by Floyd Cramer on piano and the Jordanaires quartet backing vocals - and I think it best illustrates that this talented woman just knew, even if she did not always have much sustained happiness in her own life, how to re-direct her anguish into a hit song.
"She was a hurt individual, a great cut-up on the outside but hurting on the inside . . . The secret behind Patsy was how she lived every note and word of her songs . . . You could feel the hate and bitterness, her own experiences. Patsy had a story to tell, and nobody ever knew what is was. If there were parallels in her music, she had a way of identifying with them." -- musical colleague Lightnin' Chance, page 181
Patsy Cline (1932-1963) was a rising vocal superstar - and arguably one of America's first crossover artists, with her records charting high on both the country and the pop Top-40 format - who is now probably chiefly remembered for the popular songs 'Walkin' After Midnight,' 'I Fall to Pieces,' and 'Crazy' (her three biggest chart successes . . . except this book reveals she did not particularly want to record or release any of them at the time - ?!), plus her untimely death in a tragic airplane crash.
Nassour's Honky Tonk Angel was sort of an uneven biography. I was not a fan of the many recreated conversational scenes - there were numerous pages of family members, friends, or fellow musicians recounting moments in which both their and Ms Cline's often-colorful exchanges were presented in full quotes - as these were recalled 20 or more years later. Who knows - maybe all of these folks have amazing or first-rate memories (and Ms Cline seems like the type of person who had made quite an impression on them), but it felt sort of wrong to unquestionably present all of it as fact.
However, I think Ms Cline is a worthy subject of an in-depth bio (and I could find only three when I searched on Amazon), and Nassour delivers on that end. In the most complimentary sense it seems like he talked to just about everyone from Ms Cline's early years in Virginia or her later career years in Tennessee. She is a study in contrasts - hard-drinking, brassy, bold, and very direct in her words so that she was very much a 'man's woman'-type, but yet also strongly ultra-feminine, supportive, and sisterly towards other women, especially to fellow newcomers such as Loretta Lynn and Dottie West.
It took a decade for Ms Cline to become an 'overnight success,' and when she finally scored her first hit it then took her two years to have a solid follow-up. She also had two problematic marriages, and nearly died in the summer of 1961 from traumatic injuries received in a head-on traffic collision.
As an unusual post-script, I'll mention that my favorite of Ms Cline's songs is 'She's Got You.' That tune is a perfect marriage of EVERYTHING that made her music really special - Cline's aching voice, wrapped around the plaintive lyrics, guided by Floyd Cramer on piano and the Jordanaires quartet backing vocals - and I think it best illustrates that this talented woman just knew, even if she did not always have much sustained happiness in her own life, how to re-direct her anguish into a hit song.
March 29, 2019
All you'll ever want to know about the turbulent life of the great Patsy Cline. Very well documented.
Having been a fan of this woman with such an extraordinary voice for most of my life, I learned, frankly, more than I wanted to know.
Being older than dirt myself, she hit it big with her crossover hits while I was still in school.
My takeaway . . . . . she was a driven woman; she had but one goal . . . . and she made it. My other takeaway . . . . . she really never realized what a huge talent she was.
(Although I am a fan of Country music, I feel, after reading this book, I think she limited herself during the early years by tying herself to that genre.)
She is not famous today because she died young. She is famous today, fifty-six years after her death because of her incredible voice and the way she used it. Her voice had an incredible range and timbre. Her vocal and emotional delivery are second to none. She could have sung the phone book and make it sound fantastic (or make us cry).
Her recordings are NOT dated; they are timeless. *and don't just listen to her hits*check out the recordings she made for Armed Forces radio, as recommended by the author of this book, for a fresh perspective on who she really was as an entertainer, as well as a song stylist*
And this book proves she was years ahead of her time in standing up for herself as a woman in the male-dominated world of the 1950s and early 1960s.
As a devoted fan of her music, I for one, because of what I've learned from this author, will be forever grateful that in the course of her life she recorded for Decca Records under the (sometimes turbulent) guidance of Owen Bradley. I will be forever grateful that she outlasted her terrible contract with Four Star Records, that gave her awful material to work with. I will be forever grateful that the stars aligned and she was able to record the songs of Hank Cochrane, then-Memphis-newcomer Willie Nelson and others.
She could even turn ancient standards such as "Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey" into something unique, sad, sexy and worth listening to.
For all her drive and ambition, after reading this book, I don't think the girl fully knew what an incredible talent she was. Had she been given the time . . . and had her health held up . . . . . who knows what she could have accomplished?
If only . . . . . .
Quite a book.
Having been a fan of this woman with such an extraordinary voice for most of my life, I learned, frankly, more than I wanted to know.
Being older than dirt myself, she hit it big with her crossover hits while I was still in school.
My takeaway . . . . . she was a driven woman; she had but one goal . . . . and she made it. My other takeaway . . . . . she really never realized what a huge talent she was.
(Although I am a fan of Country music, I feel, after reading this book, I think she limited herself during the early years by tying herself to that genre.)
She is not famous today because she died young. She is famous today, fifty-six years after her death because of her incredible voice and the way she used it. Her voice had an incredible range and timbre. Her vocal and emotional delivery are second to none. She could have sung the phone book and make it sound fantastic (or make us cry).
Her recordings are NOT dated; they are timeless. *and don't just listen to her hits*check out the recordings she made for Armed Forces radio, as recommended by the author of this book, for a fresh perspective on who she really was as an entertainer, as well as a song stylist*
And this book proves she was years ahead of her time in standing up for herself as a woman in the male-dominated world of the 1950s and early 1960s.
As a devoted fan of her music, I for one, because of what I've learned from this author, will be forever grateful that in the course of her life she recorded for Decca Records under the (sometimes turbulent) guidance of Owen Bradley. I will be forever grateful that she outlasted her terrible contract with Four Star Records, that gave her awful material to work with. I will be forever grateful that the stars aligned and she was able to record the songs of Hank Cochrane, then-Memphis-newcomer Willie Nelson and others.
She could even turn ancient standards such as "Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey" into something unique, sad, sexy and worth listening to.
For all her drive and ambition, after reading this book, I don't think the girl fully knew what an incredible talent she was. Had she been given the time . . . and had her health held up . . . . . who knows what she could have accomplished?
If only . . . . . .
Quite a book.
March 4, 2024
Excellent book,although there was much controversy over just what men Patsy had actually had a relationship with & those she hadn't.
There is no denying that she was a very energetic, enthusiastic & extremely talented young woman,who was taken way too soon at the tender age of thirty.
Her end came in a horrible plane crash,along with two other notable entertainers & her manager as the pilot.
Her music is still loved the world over & this book shines a light on the real life she led,while trying to become a Star & after.
Would definitely recommend, as the photos in the book are very entertaining as well as the reading.
There is no denying that she was a very energetic, enthusiastic & extremely talented young woman,who was taken way too soon at the tender age of thirty.
Her end came in a horrible plane crash,along with two other notable entertainers & her manager as the pilot.
Her music is still loved the world over & this book shines a light on the real life she led,while trying to become a Star & after.
Would definitely recommend, as the photos in the book are very entertaining as well as the reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2016
Really 2.5. The photos are very interesting as they span Patsy Cline's career and family life. The text is written in an amateurish style. It's probably ninety percent dialog and lacks the setting and depth I would expect of a comprehensive biography. But, I wanted sense of who Patsy Cline was, what she was about, how she became famous, and what her personal life was like that may have influenced her approach to interpreting songs. I did get a strong sense of that through this biography. Though aspects of the style -- all the dialog-- made me question how much of what I learned was true.
June 2, 2025
The first solo female artist to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
"Some people thought of Pat as a hard woman, not me. Some thought she was wild and brassy. I thought of her as colorful and unique."
"There's no fool like a fool in love!"
"With Patsy it was 'All for One and One for One!'"
"If you can't do it with feeling, don't do it at all!"
"Let your hair down and let's see what you look like."
"Some people thought of Pat as a hard woman, not me. Some thought she was wild and brassy. I thought of her as colorful and unique."
"There's no fool like a fool in love!"
"With Patsy it was 'All for One and One for One!'"
"If you can't do it with feeling, don't do it at all!"
"Let your hair down and let's see what you look like."
April 18, 2022
As a big fan of Patsy Cline I was quite excited to read this book. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite compel me in the way I’d imagined it would, mainly because it’s really dense, and goes into a lot of rather boring details about the music industry. I liked the bits about her personal life and how she was so feisty and good to others and determined to succeed in the face of opposition. It was a surprise to hear about her perhaps loose ways at times, and how she wasn’t so good to her supporter Bill Peer, at times it didn’t paint a great picture of her. But it was a comprehensive book, and I feel I’ve learnt a lot from it. I’d only recommend this if you’re a die hard patsy cline fan, because it’s a bit of an endeavour.
August 3, 2019
Good but not great
I enjoyed the first 20% of the book and the last 30%. The middle was beyond tedious! I grew up listening to Patsy’s music in my family home. I was always very curious to learn more about her and I was very excited to read this book. I got off to a quick start and then I got stuck. The middle is filled with too much information - names, dates, venues, street names etc etc. I was so confused and could not remember who was who. It took me months to get through this part. Then earlier today I got to the events that lead up to the plane crash and I was able to read the last 30% in one day.
I enjoyed the first 20% of the book and the last 30%. The middle was beyond tedious! I grew up listening to Patsy’s music in my family home. I was always very curious to learn more about her and I was very excited to read this book. I got off to a quick start and then I got stuck. The middle is filled with too much information - names, dates, venues, street names etc etc. I was so confused and could not remember who was who. It took me months to get through this part. Then earlier today I got to the events that lead up to the plane crash and I was able to read the last 30% in one day.
May 27, 2015
It was not all sugary fan worship, but a detailed biography that presented the stormy side of Cline's life and career as well. That is what I'd hoped for, rather than a glorified P.R. piece as some biographies tend to be. She was by no means an innocent wallflower. She was obviously a very complex person, despite the hayseed stereotype that neophytes often assume of all C&W stars. Her place in music history is so epic, despite her career and time of output being so short – like Hank Williams, she was a "chosen one."
November 2, 2024
I enjoyed the book and have read it a couple of times now. However, if you want to know Patsy the book doesn’t tell it as much as any one of her songs does. For a woman who had a very short life span, she achieved much more than most people can even dream about and more than anything else it was her own determination that got her to the top.
The book does drag on a bit in the middle section and it does jump around a bit in the story line but overall there is a lot of information on the life of Patsy Cline so I can forgive the author for that.
The book does drag on a bit in the middle section and it does jump around a bit in the story line but overall there is a lot of information on the life of Patsy Cline so I can forgive the author for that.
July 4, 2007
The author of this book made Patsy Cline's life kind of boring. How is that even possible? The writing was kind of dense and not very engaging. I pushed through the whole thing, 'cause that's the way I am, but if I were any less stubborn, I would have given up before I was halfway done.
August 6, 2017
This was pretty good overall, but needed a good editor. I also am not a fan of Nassour's writing at all - luckily I adore Patsy Cline, so I got through it. In terms of the writing, It felt like, especially in the last chapter, Nassour was frantically trying to include every detail, of everything, that everyone he interviewed ever said about Patsy Cline. There were moments when I lost any thread - as if he just threw in a random anecdote with no rhyme or reason. Around the middle of the book, when Cline was stuck in a crap record deal, I think the arc is almost completely lost. A lot of, "She did a show here and then there and blah blah." Also, that last chapter (added 20 years after the initial publication) was also sort of a mess of weird gossip and intrigue that was pretty much unnecessary. I wasn't a fan of the writing style - it reached a little. This is such an eye-roll-inducing comparison, but his style really was like a melodramatic country song at times.
In addition, I hated the recreated conversations - they sounded like awful sitcom scripts. Like, just sum it up in paragraph form, you're not writing a movie. Not only that, but there were moments when I felt like he really was stirring the pot, especially when it came to the women Patsy Cline knew. I mean, why mention the catty comments people had toward Loretta Lynn, claiming she wasn't actually good friends with Cline? Or just the amount of time spent on "she was jealous!" nonsense in general? That shit is boring enough in real life, and tacky in a biography.
As much as I was fed up with the author by the end, Overall, this book did my fave thing that biographies do: Create an extremely specific time and place. You completely get a feel for Nashville in the 50s and 60s, and of course, a great idea about who Patsy Cline was. I give Nassour a lot of credit for the thoroughness of his interviews - truly, anyone who ever knew her has a place. And, I thought he did justice to her complexity; there was enough about her brassiness and drinking, but also about what motivated and pained her. Definitely a worthy read.
In addition, I hated the recreated conversations - they sounded like awful sitcom scripts. Like, just sum it up in paragraph form, you're not writing a movie. Not only that, but there were moments when I felt like he really was stirring the pot, especially when it came to the women Patsy Cline knew. I mean, why mention the catty comments people had toward Loretta Lynn, claiming she wasn't actually good friends with Cline? Or just the amount of time spent on "she was jealous!" nonsense in general? That shit is boring enough in real life, and tacky in a biography.
As much as I was fed up with the author by the end, Overall, this book did my fave thing that biographies do: Create an extremely specific time and place. You completely get a feel for Nashville in the 50s and 60s, and of course, a great idea about who Patsy Cline was. I give Nassour a lot of credit for the thoroughness of his interviews - truly, anyone who ever knew her has a place. And, I thought he did justice to her complexity; there was enough about her brassiness and drinking, but also about what motivated and pained her. Definitely a worthy read.
September 28, 2019
A huge fan of her music I had only an inkling of her background other than her roots in country and the tragic plan crash that took her life. This book fills in the details to as in depth as one could want. Much of it is based on remarks and reminiscences of those that surrounded her particularly her friends Dottie West and Loretta Lynn.
Patsy's life, tumultuous from beginning to end, is a profile in the earlier rough and tumble era of country music. Particularly it encompassed how difficult the path was for women. Only someone with the drive and compassion of Patsy Cline could pull this off to the extent that she did. From her early discovery on a national stage through the Arthur Godfrey Show to her final breakthrough with a succession of more pop hits it was never easy. Badly mismanaged in her early career by a shoddy producer it greatly restricted what she could have done sooner.
Finally under her new contract with Decca and managed by a close friend who had her better interest at hand she finally realized some of what she could be, but was cut so short by the tragic plane crash. Her husband Charlie and their abusive marriage did not make matters any easier.
The book is long on detail and even is more so into the aftermath of her death and those connected to her. In my opinion the greatest female country singer and indeed maybe one of the top vocalists of all time, it is sad to think of what might have been. After finishing this book I have even more appreciation of the emotion and feeling that comes through in her music. Namely from whence she came.
Patsy's life, tumultuous from beginning to end, is a profile in the earlier rough and tumble era of country music. Particularly it encompassed how difficult the path was for women. Only someone with the drive and compassion of Patsy Cline could pull this off to the extent that she did. From her early discovery on a national stage through the Arthur Godfrey Show to her final breakthrough with a succession of more pop hits it was never easy. Badly mismanaged in her early career by a shoddy producer it greatly restricted what she could have done sooner.
Finally under her new contract with Decca and managed by a close friend who had her better interest at hand she finally realized some of what she could be, but was cut so short by the tragic plane crash. Her husband Charlie and their abusive marriage did not make matters any easier.
The book is long on detail and even is more so into the aftermath of her death and those connected to her. In my opinion the greatest female country singer and indeed maybe one of the top vocalists of all time, it is sad to think of what might have been. After finishing this book I have even more appreciation of the emotion and feeling that comes through in her music. Namely from whence she came.
April 1, 2023
I thought this book was a bit boring for quite a bit of it. Lots of facts about the music industry at the time that stalled the story of Patsy Cline’s life. I love Patsy Cline’s music. When my best friend and I were students at Auburn we had a thing my last year there where if it was raining on a Tuesday and we didn’t have any other obligations we would share a bottle of cheap champagne, sit on the balcony and listen to Patsy Cline albums. Those are nice memories. Disappointed in this book as it’s not what I was looking for in learning more about Patsy Cline’s life. Felt a bit sorry for her when it was told that people made her upset just to get a certain sound out of her. That’s sad.
August 31, 2019
Terrific, balanced biography! I think it must be tricky to revere a talent as legendary as Patsy Cline and still give us a picture of the complicated person. There’s a good amount of research and interviews used to paint a well rounded portrait of a pioneering genius of country and pop music. Listening to Patsy Cline is still a thrill for me today. Thanks to Ellis Nasdour’s dedication., I can appreciate the emotional range of her work even more.
March 29, 2024
I am a big fan of Patsy Cline. I grew up listening to her music. I had this on my TBR list and when I finally picked the book up and started reading it, I did not want to put it down. This was a remarkable story and if you're a fan of Patsy's, and even if you're not and you're just curious about her life story, I say get it and read it, because I'm so glad I did. This was a five star book for me.
March 24, 2017
I read this book with hesitation, based on some of the reviews I read beforehand, but I really wanted to read a Patsy Cline biography. This one seemed to be the best of what's out there, which is to say that a good Patsy Cline biography needs to be written. This is one of those gossipy biographies that leave you feeling dirty when you finish it. Despite the author's claim that it is fact based, it reads as a he-said, she-said, dialogue-based biography. Very disappointing.
February 19, 2024
I really enjoyed reading this book. My husband & I recently visited the Patsy Cline museum in Nashville, TN. It was awesome!!! We were able to see many things mentioned in the book. Patsy was 1 in a million!!
October 12, 2021
The author doesn't appear to like Patsy Cline at all.
The narrator, dreadful
The narrator, dreadful
October 13, 2022
Tue good, the bad and the ugly of the life of Patsy Cline
March 7, 2023
Sometimes it is better not to know🙁 Just love her music.
April 22, 2025
The rating is rounded up from 3.5 ⭐️
July 11, 2008
Had no idea that "Walkin' After Midnight" was originally supposed to be a Kay Starr song, or that, with almost no exception, Patsy just about hated every song of hers that went on to become a big hit. Sometimes even after they actually started earning her money. Glad that this wasn't a scholarly as it appeared to be, and was still full of a healthy amount of drinkin', singin', lovin', losin', and all other forms of honky tonkery. Also, Patsy gets even cooler when you find out that she often referred to herself in the third person and called just about everyone on earth "hoss."
February 13, 2015
Very well researched biography. At times the book moved fairly slowly when the details and specifics (of places, names, recording sessions, musicians, dates, etc) overwhelmed the narrative. But I guess that comes with a thorough biography.
Interesting to learn what it was like to be a singer in those days. Kind of a hard life, actually, as it probably is today -- endless travel, not enough money, and always craving to become more famous in the chase.
The last chapter of the book (afterword) was packed with interesting tidbits.
Interesting to learn what it was like to be a singer in those days. Kind of a hard life, actually, as it probably is today -- endless travel, not enough money, and always craving to become more famous in the chase.
The last chapter of the book (afterword) was packed with interesting tidbits.
June 10, 2014
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting Patsy's house in Winchester, VA. It is a small house, but the tour is very interesting, informative and well-done. I also would recommend the exhibit nearby at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. Winchester had not always embraced Patsy, but it is good to see that they are celebrating her life the way they are now.
January 5, 2008
I read this on a plane ride from Nashville to Hartford and didn't realize when we took off or when we landed. Highly informative, it tells the story of Patsy Cline's life and death and clears up some misperceptions about the movies that attempt to portray her life.
September 14, 2008
This is what a biography should be - the story of a spitfire, full of conversations that probably never happened, and conjecture that contradicts itself.
It's a little eerie how her songs mimicked her life and her life mimicked her songs.
It's a little eerie how her songs mimicked her life and her life mimicked her songs.
April 7, 2010
Very technical, but structured in a way that shows how much effort and research the author put in. I love Patsy Cline, and loved all the behind the scenes stories included. You could really get a sense of how much people really did love her.
January 23, 2012
Patsy Cline, was human with the voice of an angel and I still consider her voice to be the best ever. This book is very well researched and provides a balanced unbiased biography of a legend. The update in the new version was informative, as was the whole book.
March 19, 2016
This was a wonderful book to read. Gave in depth background on Patsy Cline's life, her rise to fame, and personal relationships. Friends, fellow celebrities, and family members share their memories of the late star.
June 8, 2016
I picked this book up somewhere and thought I'd like to read about Patsy Cline as I like her music. I did learn a lot about her but found the book to be not as good as I had hoped. Too much uninteresting detail. And Patsy wasn't a very likeable person.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews