"Death can never kill what never dies"
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My title is part of the inscription her husband Charlie had placed on Patsy's grave marker.Time has shown that truer words have never been said.
All the letters in this book were written to Treva Steinbicker who started and operated her fan club.They corresponded very frequently from the time that Patsy started in the business in 1955 when she was was only 23.The letters continued till 1959.There may have been more and Treva probably continued until she was killed in a car accident in 1960;but no letters were found during that period. Patsy met her untimely death in a plane crash on March 5,1963.
More than anything else,these letters show what a huge struggle and sacrifice to health,family and security the artists of the 50's went through in establishing a career.The number of Country Artists ,who made a living,were only a few dozen,and it took many years to make it.However,the music they made came from the heart and soul and was so good because they really lived it.Today new superstars appear like autumn leaves,and in my opinion most of it is "studio" music and that which the Industry promotes.It is hihhly that the stoff promoted today will be enduring like that which we got from the artists of Patsy's time.
Try as they may,to replace Country Music with Pop,Rhinestone Cowboy stuff,Country Rock,New Country,Line Dance music,the music of the Legends like Patsy,Hank Williams,Web Pierce,Johnny Horton,Roy Acuff,Ernest Tubb,Loretta Lynn,and other artists of the 50's and 60's,the real Country music survives because of the simplr fact that Country Music is the music of the people,by the people and for the people---Not the music establishment and studios.
The thing that surprisedme the most is how little these artists were compensated These letters show that during the time Patsy made her greatest hits,she virtually lived in poverty.Just imagine how moch people who couldn't write a simple ditty or even carry a tune,made off Patsy.
