PATSY Cline's velvety voice was one of the most recognisable in country music.

A magical entertainer and hugely influential, she was a record breaking artist spending 251 weeks in the Country Music Album Charts in the United States.

She was a major part of the Nashville sound during the late 1950s and early 1960s until her career came to a tragic end at the age of 30 in an air crash in Tennessee, in 1963.

Patsy was born Virginia Patterson Hensley in the Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, Virginia, on September 8, 1932. The family home was in nearby Gore. Legend has it that she was entertaining her neighbours as early as age three.

Her natural talent and spirit took her to the top of the country charts and her style and popularity has never really waned.

Patsy's big break came when she won an Arthur Godfrey Talent program in 1957 with the hit Walkin' After Midnight. From there she pursued a recording career appearing at the mecca of country music - the Grand Ole Opry in 1958, and received national awards in 1961 and 1962.

Sue Lowry has been a lifelong fan of Patsy Cline and country music and has put together a special show that celebrates the power of her Patsy's wonderful music.

Patsy Cline and Friends comes to The Forum at Barrow on Thursday, March 14 (7.30pm) and features her powerful renditions of Crazy, I Fall to Pieces, and Sweet Dreams, which will propel the audience back to those honky tonk days of pure country music.

Sue was brought up by parents who had their own country music band and as they played gigs around the UK no doubt helped lay down the budding young performer's country music roots.

Joining Sue on stage in her Patsy Cline and Friends tribute will be Marc Robinson, whose well known for playing Buddy Holly; as part of the show Marc will pay homage to the grand daddy of country music Hank Williams with songs such as Howlin’ at the Moon, I Saw the Light, and Rootie Tootie.

Another feature of Sue's hayride of a show will be Lee Davidge performing a sensitive tribute to Jim Reeves with his authentic costume and mesmerising vocals in tunes as Welcome to my World, Distant Drums and the singalong Bimbo..

Box office 01229-820000.