DATE:  March 5, 2003

CONTACT:  Jim Stutzman, Jr.
President, Celebrating Patsy Cline, Inc.
(540) 667-1000

(March 5, 2003 Winchester, VA)  "Death can not kill what never dies," is the poignant inscription on legendary country music singer Patsy Cline's final resting place in Winchester, Virginia. March 5, 2003 is the 40th anniversary of her tragic and sudden death that stunned family, friends and worldwide fans. To Celebrating Patsy Cline, Inc., this anniversary date is particularly fitting to acknowledge extraordinary and unique national and local contributions being given to Celebrating Patsy Cline with a special word of gratitude. These contributions will all aim to honor and celebrate Patsy's enduring legacy and to insure her life and talent will never be forgotten through the establishment of a museum.

The Sweetwater Saloon in Marin (Mill Valley), California will host a 40th Anniversary Memorial Tribute to Patsy Cline on March 5, 2003 and donate all proceeds to Celebrating Patsy Cline. The Valerie Jay Band will perform live the unforgettable music of Patsy Cline. Time has not faded Patsy Cline's popularity, indeed many of today's contemporary artists single her out as an important influence in their career - as the much acclaimed performer Valerie, who will headline and host and evening dedicated to remembering the music and life of one of America's finest.

Shenandoah Valley's renowned gourmet chip factory, Route 11 Potato Chips, has just received approval from Legacy, Inc. to produce a limited edition of a "Patsy Cline" tin portraying Patsy in five photos from different eras of her career. Located on that Virginia small-town road, Route 11's combination factory and retail store is something of a tourist magnet. Tourists and tour buses heading to Winchester, home of Patsy Cline, pull up to the Route 11 factory to watch gourmet chips being hand made, sample and purchase the nationally award winning snack food. Sarah Cohen, President of Route 11 Potato Chips expects the Patsy Cline tin to be available Summer 2003 and it will be available exclusively through the Route 11 retail shop or on-line. Sarah Cohen added, "Net proceeds from the sale of the Patsy Cline tin will go to Celebrating Patsy Cline, and based on my calculations we should expect to raise about $45,000 for the museum project. Route 11 is very excited to be able to contribute to the museum effort."

On December 19, 2002, a collection of stage costumes once owned and worn by legendary recording artists Patsy Cline were auctioned in Beverly Hills, California by the prestigious company, Profiles in History. Several of these costumes were hand-sewn by Patsy's mother, Mrs. Hilda Hensley. Mrs. Hensley had kept the costumes for many years in her home Monmouth Street, as it was her dream to establish a museum in her daughter's memory. Through the coordinated efforts and contributions of fans nation-wide, Celebrating Patsy Cline, Inc. was successful in acquiring the two western styled blouses that will be exhibited. One of the blouses is the plaid blouse shown worn by Patsy in the widely publicized photograph of Patsy holding daughter Julie in August 1966. Patsy Cline fans and Celebrating Patsy Cline would like to thank everyone who donated to the special acquisitions fund. A special thank you goes to fans Theresa Shalaby and Lisa Flood for coming up with this idea, as well as their tremendous enthusiasm, hard work and love for Patsy Cline. A Special Acquisitions Fund, managed by Celebrating Patsy Cline, remains open to procure items that might become available in the future for the museum.

A joint venture of individuals outside Winchester-Frederick County, Virginia was recently successful in obtaining certain items from Hilda Hensley's Estate during the December 19, 2002 auction at Profiles in History. This anonymous group of benefactors has expressed their interest in loaning varying combinations of the items over time to the Patsy Cline Museum for public exhibits. Among the items included is the gold dress with black lace overlay worn by Patsy during a triumphant concert with other Grand Ole Opry stars at a benefit performance at New York's world famous Carnegie Hall in 1961. A representative for the benefactors recently began discussions with Celebrating Patsy Cline to discuss plans for the future. The representative was quoted to say, "It is simply our great love for Miss Patsy's music and our desire not to allow her precious keepsakes to be scattered in the wind which has caused us to take this sincere course of action."

In August 2002, Preservation of Historic Winchester (PHW) presented Celebrating Patsy Cline with a grant in the amount of $18,500 from the 2002 Blues House Festival - Crazy for the Blues, which was held on June 22, 2002. According to the Blues House Festival chairman, Paul H. Thomson, "Blues House 2002 was our most successful festival to date. The Blues House Festival produces tangible results for the community. Proceeds from previous years have restored another house on Kent Street. Now, PHW is helping to preserve one of Winchester's valuable landmarks, the girlhood home of Patsy Cline." Celebrating Patsy Cline President Jim Stutzman said, "This contribution from PHW is very significant for Celebrating Patsy Cline. We are pleased to have a fellow non-profit organization endorse our efforts by including us as a beneficiary for the 2002 Blues House Festival. This donation brings us substantially closer to raising the funds needed to purchase 608 South Kent Street."

Also contributing grant funding, the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie No. 824 awarded $10,000 to Celebrating Patsy Cline for the future museum building between 1999 and 2000. For two consecutive years, the Eagles awarded a $5,000 gift during their annual community recognization ceremony, and the funds are set aside specifically for the purchase of a museum that will be open as a tribute to Patsy Cline.

A collaborative effort of the Shenandoah University Community History Project, Preservation of Historic Winchester, the Regional Office of the Virginia Department of Historical Resources, Cultural Communications, and Celebrating Patsy Cline, Inc. began last summer as an undertaking to formally recognize the historic significance of Patsy Cline's childhood home. This team is providing its professional expertise in American history, research, preservation and writing to submit a well-documented nomination for Patsy's Childhood home at 608 S. Kent to receive a designated listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Shenandoah University's Historical and Tourism Center contracted with Cultural Communications to coordinate the technical information and develop the lengthy portion that argues the worth of the house as significant. Underwriting funding for the project is part of Center's commitment to the community for exploring preservation of historic sites for economic and tourism development. The National Register of Historic Places is the Nations honorific official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. Her home Kent Street meets the criteria for site nomination as it possesses the quality of significance in American history, culture is present and it is associated with the life of a person significant in our past.

In late 2002, Celebrating Patsy Cline signed a Letter of Intent to purchase 608 S. Kent Street from Sweet Dreams, LLC, established by the late Kevin D. Adams for the purpose of securing the girlhood home of Patsy Cline. Representing Sweet Dreams, LLC, Richard Bell commented, "This is a project that is close to my heart, family members, Fern and Kevin Adams, were on the initial Patsy Cline committee in an effort for Winchester and Frederick County to recognize the accomplishments of Patsy Cline. Our family will continue to have a high level of involvement and dedication towards this project, as we desire to see a first class museum dedicated to Patsy Cline here in her hometown."

Jim Stutzman, Jr., President of Celebrating Patsy Cline, applauded individuals who have been involved in the effort since its inception over a decade ago. He stated, "As Celebrating Patsy Cline enters the next phase for development and implementation it is important to note the wealth of contributions and support from her family, friends and fans. A museum dedicated to the legacy of Patsy Cline is a deserving and long-overdue tribute to someone who gave so much to so many people. Celebrating Patsy Cline is pleased to have an opportunity to work with everyone on a venture that will benefit the whole community and her fans alike. Thanks to her fans, her career did not die; it flourishes just as though she were still among us." Jim added, "We hope that these contributions and donations will serve as a catalyst for other local and national donations so that Celebrating Patsy Cline can have ownership of 608 S. Kent Street and be well on the way to opening Patsy's doors by the end of this commemorative year. Winchester can tell the story of the young Patsy Cline as no other place in the world can - Winchester offers a unique, first-hand glimpse back into Patsy's initial dreams of stardom."

Patsy Cline is enshrined in the hearts of our generation and will go on and on gathering tens of thousands of new admirers in the years to come. Many who are too young have watched her rise to fame will discover Patsy for the first time and through her music they will hear reasons why her name has earned far more than just passing mention in the annals of country music.

Celebrating Patsy Cline is reaching out to Patsy's hometown to set the stage for a formal national development campaign that will open her doors very soon. We are respectfully seeking participation in contributions of items and memories and well as monetary contributions so that her doors can be open to her many ardent fans.

One final note, in remembrance of Patsy Cline's life, Celebrating Patsy Cline and the Always Patsy Cline Fan Club are assembling a Memorial Service on Sunday, March 9th, 2003 at 2:00 p.m. at Shenandoah Memorial Park. Those attending will gather at Patsy's interment site to pay homage with a reception following. Pastor Sandra H. Stamey will officiate the service, with testimonials from family and friends.

Celebrating Patsy Cline, Inc., a non-profit corporation is committed to perpetuating the memory of Patsy Cline through the establishment of a Patsy Cline Museum in Winchester-Frederick County, Virginia - Patsy Cline's birthplace.