Honoring Jennifer Love Hewitt's cousin.....

by Teresa Dunham
The Winchester Star

Winchester — Michael Haman wants to make sure that country music legend Patsy Cline isn’t forgotten in her hometown.

"She is the greatest female icon in country music," said Haman, host of a new morning news-talk show on WINC-AM 1400. "I’m a Patsy Cline fan, and I think it’s a shame the city is so absent of any recognition of [its] native daughter."

On Jan. 22, his "Winchester Morning Magazine" show aired a program titled "The Absence of Patsy" — and the response was overwhelming.

He had six pages of e-mail feedback in a single day.

"This has been a hotbed of conversation," said Kathie Flerx, station manager.

The discussion touched on Celebrating Patsy Cline Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the country legend and someday creating a museum about her.

Haman raised four major questions:

• How did CPC spend $110,000 provided by the City of Winchester in 2005 to help support the group’s efforts?

• Why was the former and highly active CPC president Philip Martin let go in 2005?

• Is there a projected opening date for the museum?

• How are Cline’s clothes and other items being preserved?

Haman is not making any implications against the group. He just wants to hear their answers.

Some of those answers have already been publicized in The Winchester Star.

For example, a 2006 article states: "Through a grant from the City of Winchester, CPC investigated possible locations and entered into a 10-year lease for a 14,000-square-foot building in historic downtown Winchester."

No opening date has been publicized yet, but a 2007 article indicates that some of Cline’s items are being stored at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley’s secure sites in the meantime.

"Patsy fans still want to see the museum happen," said Haman, who considered organizing efforts for a statue of Cline if a CPC spokesperson could not answer his questions.

However, two CPC members, Judy Sue Kempf and Chuck Peterson, have come forward to speak on his show this Thursday morning.

"We’re no secret. We’ll be more than happy to answer any questions," said Kempf in a phone interview last week.

She expressed the group’s desire to honor Cline, who was born Virginia Patterson Hensley in Winchester on Sept. 8, 1932, and died in an airplane crash on March 5, 1963, at the height of her popularity.

Kempf would not discuss how the money was spent or any of the other questions before the radio interview. 

Image & Story: © 2008 The Winchester Star. All Rights Reserved.