Honky Tonk Angel: The Intimate Story Of Patsy Cline [Mass Market Paperback]

Ellis Nassour (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 15, 1994

She walked the line between sinner and saint. But when she sang, she was an angel.

Her career...came the hard way, after she battle a Virginia hardscrabble childhood and broke through the all-male barriers of Nashville to make America "Crazy" for country music.

Her image...flouted all the taboos. Brassy, big-hearted, sexy as hell, she dressed like a cowgirl or a call girl, swore like a truck driver, and seduced men like a femme fatale.

Her money...bought her a dream house and a silver fox coat. But it was too little, too late to erase the memories of mental breakdown and marriages-or avert the tragedies to come.

Her men...were lady-killers-hard-loving, big-talking country boys who would hit the bottle, let her down and break her heart.

Her music...remains haunting, earthy and selling millions...even though she fought against recording her hits, "Walkin' After Midnight" and "I Fall to Pieces," because they weren't "country enough."

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This memorable biography of one of country music's most enduring legends is a revised abridgment of Patsy Cline , published in 1981. According to Nassour, Cline (1932-1963) was the first woman to demonstrate that country music could appeal to a wide audience. Bold and ambitious, she was a free-living, earthy performer whom producers sometimes found difficult to work with. She apparently had few close friends, but she showed generosity to any number of people, particularly talented young women singers such as Dottie West and Loretta Lynn. Her long-term association with producer Bill McCall was, financially, "probably the single biggest mistake Patsy made in her professional life," claims Nassour, but he gives McCall great credit for promoting Cline's career. Although Cline died in a plane crash 30 years ago, her musical influence has persisted. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Gazes unflinchingly at its subject...The book to read." --Nashville Tennessean

"A revealing and absorbing book...What a dame! What a winner!" --Liz Smith

"Honest, no-holds-barred...Engrossing and sensitive." --Houston Post

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks; Expanded edition (April 15, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312951582
• ISBN-13: 978-0312951580
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #667,717 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best by far!!!, December 6, 2002

By 

Bob Poppie (New Orleans, La.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Honky Tonk Angel: The Intimate Story Of Patsy Cline (Mass Market Paperback)

After reading all the bio's about Patsy Cline, I find this book,by:Ellis Nassour, by far the very best. The Intimate detail
is just out right awsome.Look's like a few other authors should take a few lessons! Definatly a 5 star rating!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Literary Hologram!, January 8, 2003

By 

Reta Sylvester (Springfield, MO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Honky Tonk Angel: The Intimate Story Of Patsy Cline (Mass Market Paperback)

The only thing that comes close to Patsy Cline's haunting singing voice is the enthralling story of her tumultuous, yet victorious life - as told by biographer Ellis Nassour.
In "Honky Tonk Angel, the Intimate Story of Patsy Cline," Nassour has brought Patsy to "life" again. His sensitive, yet honest, recounting of the legendary singer's struggle to become a "star" in the male-dominated country music field is filled with her family and friends' three-dimensional memories of Patsy, her toughness, her talent, her tenacity, her loyalty and compassion.
This is not a book for "Country-only" fans. Patsy's life story will encourage and comfort others who may be struggling through life toward success.
Nassour's writing could be compared to a literary hologram in his ability to present his subject through sight, sound and touch. I could veritably hear Patsy sing "Walkin' After Midnight," see her sassy walk and feel her tears as I read.

A.K.A. Reta Spears-Stewart, Literary Editor/Author of "Remembering the Ozark Jubilee, Starring Red Foley"
Springfield, Missouri

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Honky Tonk Angel: The Intimate Story of Patsy Cline, December 6, 2002

By 

Brad Yost (Tazewell, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Honky Tonk Angel: The Intimate Story Of Patsy Cline (Mass Market Paperback)

I have been a Patsy Cline fan since I was six years old. This book has been in my Patsy collection for eight years. It is THE MOST comprehensive view of Patsy's life that I've ever read. (And I have "a few of those OTHER books" in my collection as well, but they don't even come close to Mr. Nassour's very informative and compelling look at the life of the one and only Patsy Cline. THE BOOK to read, ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES!!!... You've found the one and only book on Patsy Cline that you need, That is Ellis Nassour's: Honky Tonk Angel: The Intimate Story of Patsy Cline.