The concert is now available in physical format
Patsy Cline was one of America’s most influential vocalists during the 20th century. Born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Winchester, Virginia, she became one of the first country music artists to successfully cross over into pop music in the 1950s and ’60s and was the first solo female performer inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1973.
Her music, characterized by its emotional depth and a unique “crying” style, helped define the “Nashville Sound,” which blended country and popular music. Her life story was the subject of the 1985 film Sweet Dreams, starring Jessica Lange and Ed Harris. Previously, Cline was portrayed by Beverly D’Angelo in the 1980 Loretta Lynn biopic, Coal Miner’s Daughter. Her legacy has inspired countless singers across various genres.
In April 2024, an all-star array of entertainers gathered at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville to pay tribute to the late country singer who was killed in a plane crash in 1963 at the age of 30. D’Angelo, Wynonna, Ashley McBryde, Grace Potter, Crystal Gayle, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Mickey Guyton, Kristin Chenoweth, Rita Wilson, Natalie Grant, Kellie Pickler, Pam Tillis, Tigirlily Gold, Reyna Roberts, Tami Neilson, and Mandy Barnett are all featured on Walkin’ After Midnight: The Music of Patsy Cline.
In May 2025, the concert was released as a Blu-ray/CD combo and LP by Mercury Studios. As the label always does, it presents the concert in a nice package, complete with liner notes and screen grabs from the show. The Blu-ray and CD are packaged in a CD-sized double jewel case.
As is typical with tribute packages, each artist gave their true-to-original rendition of a Patsy Cline song, sans Kellie Pickler (more on that below). Guyton opened with “Walkin’ After Midnight,” featuring a snappy breakdown in the middle. Potter performed a rousing rendition of “Strange,” with Wynonna delivering the classics “Sweet Dreams” and “Crazy.”
The show was monumental for Pickler, who made her stage return following her husband Kyle Jacobs’ suicide 14 months before. She was welcomed with open arms, where she introduced “The Woman I Am,” a song she co-wrote with Jacobs that name-checkes the country legend.
“Sometimes I cry at night / I fall to pieces with Patsy Cline / Man, how many songs sound like that? / But that’s just the woman I am,” she sings.
Chenoweth’s performance of “I Fall to Pieces” was exceptional. The Tony Award-winning actress and singer has a knack for entertaining as she pretended to fall off her stool during the song.
Wynonna’s husband and drummer, Cactus Moser, served as Musical Director and drummer, with Ben, Sonya, and Becky Isaacs (collectively known as The Isaacs) on backing vocals throughout.
In addition to these musical tributes, the film also includes archival interviews and commentary from those who knew Cline personally, offering rare insights into her life and artistry. Contributors include her husband, Charlie Dick, and friends and peers such as Loretta Lynn, Dottie West, Carl Perkins, Mel Tillis, Roy Clark, and Owen Bradley.
