SWEET
DREAMS
by Bob Jinkerson
Nearly forty years after her tragic death in a
fiery plane crash that also took the life of two other country music legends,
Patsy Cline’s voice remains as distinctive and fresh as ever. Her
recordings crossed the boundaries of country and pop music and touched the ears
and hearts of everyone who listened.
I have been singing and playing music
professionally for over 30 years. While I have played with several groups,
much of what I have done has been as a solo act--just me and a piano or guitar.
I performed three nights a week for six years at a restaurant and lounge in the
St. Louis area and I am proud to say I developed a nice following of fans.
One of my most requested performances was a medley of Patsy Cline songs.
Yes, I am a man. But Patsy’s music
transcends gender boundaries. Her songs were not “girl” songs for the
most part--they were just great songs. She chose songs by the finest
writers in the music business: “Crazy” by Willie Nelson, “I Fall To
Pieces” by Harlan Howard and Hank Cochran, “She’s Got You” by Hank
Cochran and “Sweet Dreams” by Don Gibson. I always closed the medley
with “Sweet Dreams”, pouring my heart and soul into it because it is a
beautiful song and because that is how Patsy sang it--from the heart.
I still get chills when I hear those strings,
descending like a cascading waterfall, and Patsy’s voice--strong and clear:
“Sweet.....dreams of you, every night I go through”. Patsy set a
standard that the rest of us can only hope to aspire to. But her work is a
legacy that can inspire anyone who wants to sing. And it can touch the
hearts and souls of anyone who cares to listen.
Bob Jinkerson works in client support for the St. Louis Society for the Blind and is also a part-time professional singer and musician. He writes a monthly nostalgia column for the PITTSBURGH BOOMERS monthly newspaper, an occasional piece for his suburban weekly newspaper and assisted in writing several chapters for the book "The Chronicle of Baseball" by John Mehno. He has several other writing projects in the works and is excited to have found SOUNDSPARKS. He and his wife Nancy live in suburban St. Louis. He can be contacted at: musicbob@hotmail.com