In this photo, the singer who appeared on the Chautauqua Lake Pops floating stage last summer was Pat Cook. She is a resident of Mayville and has been performing as country western artist, Patsy Cline since 2003. At that time, she joined Skip Roberts of Emerald City Productions. During a phone conversation Roberts told her he had been scouting her because he felt she sounded "just like Patsy Cline". Not long after the phone call Skip and Pat created a duo called Country Royalty with Roberts performing as Hank Williams. They performed in various venues throughout Western New York State and Northwest PA including Chautauqua Institution for several Elderhostal programs and the University of Pittsburgh/Bradford PA. Pat recalls when they performed at the Bradford campus, the university had just finished their large theatre arts facility. Pat admits, "The dressing room was big enough to fit the Rockettes. I thought WOW, I've made it big here! Our next venue was at a campground where my dressing room was an out-house! I thought, well, maybe I haven't really made it .. just yet. It was very humbling, yet both places loved us, anyway."
In 2008, Cook took the Cline tribute solo. "I go a little further with the show now then when I was with Country Royalty", says Cook. Pat extensively researched Cline and during her show as "Patsy" she recounts the often tumultuous events in Cline's life for her audience between songs. "People want to hear Patsy. She was powerful, she was everything and this gave me the opportunity to write a show that brings this legendary singer back to life", says Cook.
I first came to know Pat Cook when she performed on the floating stage in Bemus Point NY during the Chautauqua Lake The Choice singing competition in 2016. She had always wanted to have the experience of singing on that stage "once in my life". She, like Anthony Horvath from Columbiana Ohio who was a contestant that year didn't really enter the contest to win, but rather to live out a dream of just being on that stage to share their passion for singing. Being on the floating stage that summer was a thrill for both Pat and for Anthony which developed into a special friendship of shared memories. During the competition Pat recalls singing The Sweetest Thing by Juice Newton. She was fortunate to have Brian K. Chase, one of The Choice judges turn around in his red swivel chair to face Pat on the stage. The 4 chairs were fashioned after the chairs on NBC's, The Voice. The next phase in the competition was duet night pairing Pat with singer, Gabe Borrero from Erie PA. They sang Unforgettable recorded by the late Nate King Cole and re-recorded, digitally, with his daughter, Natalie. During the instrumental interlude in the song Pat and Gabe had decided during rehearsal to take a few slow dance steps together that were very well done. Gabe moved on in the competition, but Pat and 3 other contestants were selected by the total of 4 judges to come back and perform on finale night. Pat decided to return to her Patsy Cline tribute and sang one of Patsy's #1 hits, She's Got You. "I put on my best Patsy clothes and surprised even the judges! So much so, that Robin Grandin told me she would have turned her judge's chair around if I had sung that song at the first tryout! Imagine that", said Cook. Pat cherishes the experience and has gone on to acquire many more fans with her voice and love of music. She loved performing on the floating stage both in Bemus and in Mayville. Her husband, George is her Tribute to Patsy Cline sound man .. so they are a team on and off the stage.
In June of 2002, Pat was confronted with a health issue that changed her life forever when she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. She had surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and reconstruction surgery. During this time she found that music was very good therapy. "It was a very hard time in my life, but thanks to God and a great team of medical professionals .. I am still here."
Pat started singing in high school and performed in folk masses at church. Folk masses are Catholic masses with guitar music. She admits, "I wasn't country before country was cool." She enjoyed folk music and rock n' roll. Several years later she was introduced to Bluegrass by a friend & co-worker of her husband. Dan Snow was a Dobro player who gave her a new appreciation for traditional country music. In case you are wondering, a Dobro is an acoustic guitar with a metal resonator built into its body. Dobros are normally wooden bodied, square necked instruments that are played with a bar, like a steel guitar. Pat and Dan performed at many festivals in the 90s. In 1998, Pat helped organize the group, Belles of St. Mary's which was a music ministry that visited nursing homes providing sing-a-longs. In 2005, she was part of a group called The Folksters. The group comprised of Pat, Skip Roberts, Krista Donnelly and Bill Moran entertained with folk music such as Peter, Paul and Mary, James Taylor, Bob Seger and other folk era music of the 60s and the 70s. In 2009, she joined a country band, Free Country. They performed at VFW locations, gazebos and at adult living facilities. In 2015, Pat with Dan Bennett started a duo called Second Half. They entertained with country music in Busti, Warren and at the Lakeview in Mayville.
Pat has also performed at fundraisers, birthday parties, senior citizen organizations, wineries, Bergman Park Labor Day celebrations, Summerwind dinner cruises and various summer gazebo venues with the many groups mentioned in this article. Many county communities have a park gazebo where Pat has performed including Westfield, Brocton, Busti, Silver Creek, Ellington, Warren, Corry and Findley Lake. One particular gazebo setting was in Mayville's Lakeside Park. When she performed in the park she received record crowds for 3 years in a row with her nostalgic tribute to Patsy Cline entitled Come Back Patsy Cline at the community's weekly concert series. Pat enjoys performing at the various venues throughout the area though nursing homes and assisted living residents remain her favorite audiences. "Patsy Cline would have been 87 this year and those folks who are from that era absolutely love the show."
"I have learned that life can be short so don't be afraid to make it what you want. It is easy to sit back and let life happen, but taking chances, even if you fail, gives your life more meaning", says Pat Cook.
Pat turned 10 years old on March 6th, one day after Patsy Cline was taken from us. We are grateful that Pat Cook came to know Cline through her recordings. Thank you, Pat for sharing your love of singing and bringing Patsy back to life.
Though we are coping with COVID-19 with an uncertain future Pat wants you to know that eventually she will be available for future bookings. You can contact her at cookinn71@hotmail.com or call 716-269-6288.
Patsy Cline was an American singer and though she became known around the world as Patsy, Cline was born Virginia Patterson Hensley. Her manager, Bill Peer gave her the name "Patsy" from her middle name. Patsy married her first husband, Gerald Cline in 1953. She kept her surname as her stage name. Cline began performing professionally at the age of 14. She is considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th Century and was one of the first country music artists to successfully cross over into pop music. She was born September 8, 1932 in Winchester VA. Sadly, she perished in an airplane crash on March 5, 1963 in Camden TN. The accident occurred as she was returning home to Nashville after performing in Kansas City KS. After Cline's death her version of Sweet Dreams was released and became a hit.
During her career, Cline was supportive of other female country artists such as Loretta Lynn. The pair's friendship is documented in the 2019 Lifetime movie Patsy & Loretta. Surprisingly, Cline couldn't read sheet music. Of course, that didn't stop her from becoming a musical genius. She was self-taught and had perfect pitch even as a child. She was the first woman to wear pants on the Grand Ole Opry. Cline was also the first female country singer to headline in Las Vegas. In 1973, she became the first solo female artist to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits released 4 years after her untimely death, is one of the all-time best-selling country records by a female artist. If you were a songwriter in the early 60s, a sure way to get a hit was to have Patsy Cline record your song!
Be safe.
Pat Locke
Maestro Muse
