Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn Had a Special Bond Including Sharing Panties

It was June 14th, 1961, when Patsy Cline and her brother were in a serious car wreck in Nashville. Maybe her latest hit "I Fall To Pieces" was prophetic because Patsy was seriously injured with a broken wrist, dislocated hip and a huge forehead gash where she was thrown thru the windshield. She ended in a Nashville hospital for nearly a month.

During that time a Nashville newcomer, Loretta Lynn, made an appearance on the radio show Midnight Jamboree broadcast from Ernest Tubb's record shop every Saturday night after the Grand Ole Opry. Loretta sang "I Fall To Pieces" as a tribute on the show which Patsy heard.  Patsy was impressed and asked her husband to drive to Ernest Tubb's shop and bring Loretta to the hospital to meet her. A friendship clicked immediately between the industry wise/street wise Cline and the inexperienced mountain girl.

Loretta had recorded a couple of tunes but nothing that stirred up much interest. Her latest record strangely titled "I Walked Away From The Wreck" had not even charted.(Maybe Patsy should have cut that one!)  Patsy saw something in Loretta, possibly herself at the beginning of her own career, and they became close friends. Patsy invited Loretta to many dinners at her house.

According to Loretta, each time she visited Patsy sent her home with a box of her own used clothing including a pair of panties. According to Loretta, they were of exceptional quality,

I never did wear those panties out, there ain’t no way to wear ’em out!

At one point after she became a star, Loretta had them on display in her museum. Patsy took the inexperienced Lynn (they were actually the same age, although Loretta claimed to be two years younger) and helped her grow up quick, including a lesson in shaving her legs. Loretta said she had never done that yet because her husband Mooney wanted her to remain natural. OK--Mooney was a little weird. Take a listen to Loretta's tribute to her friend as she sings Patsy's song. "She's Got You":

Loretta will tell the complete story in her new book, "Me And Patsy Kickin' Up Dust: My Friendship With Patsy Cline". It should be available April first.