Editing Patsy Cline (section)

===1960–1961: New beginnings and car accident===
[[File:I Fall to Pieces - Billboard ad 1961.jpg|thumb|''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' advertisement, May 22, 1961]] 
Cline's professional decisions yielded more positive results by the early 1960s. Upon moving to Nashville, she signed a management deal with Randy Hughes.<ref name="Country Music Hall of Fame"/> She originally wished to work with Hubert Long, but he was busy managing other artists. Instead, she turned her attention to Hughes.{{sfn|Nassour, Ellis|1993|pp=71–73}} With the help of Hughes, she began working steadier jobs. He organized $50 bookings and got her multiple performances on the Grand Ole Opry.<ref name="Country Music Hall of Fame"/> In January 1960, Cline officially became a member of the Opry.<ref name="Encyclopedia Virginia"/> When she asked general manager Ott Devine about a membership, he replied, "Patsy, if that's all you want, you're on the Opry."<ref>{{cite web |title=1960s: Grand Ole Opry |url=https://www.opry.com/content/1960s |website=[[Grand Ole Opry]] |access-date=August 21, 2019 |archive-date=August 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821021844/https://www.opry.com/content/1960s |url-status=dead }}</ref> Also in January 1960, Cline made her final recording sessions set forth in her contract with Four Star Records. Later that year, her final singles with the label were released: "[[Lovesick Blues]]" and "[[Crazy Dreams]]". Leaving Four Star, Cline officially signed with Decca Records in late 1960, working exclusively under Bradley's direction.{{sfn|Nassour, Ellis|1993|pp=119–120}} Insisting on receiving an advance, she received $1,000 from Bradley once she began at the label.<ref name="Encyclopedia"/>

Her first release on Decca was 1961's "[[I Fall to Pieces]]".{{sfn|Wolff, Kurt|2000|p=303}} The song was written by newly established Nashville songwriters [[Hank Cochran]] and [[Harlan Howard]]. "I Fall to Pieces" had first been turned down by [[Roy Drusky]] and [[Brenda Lee]] before Cline cut it in November 1960. At the recording session, she worried about the song's production, particularly the background vocals performed by [[The Jordanaires]].<ref name="I Fall to Pieces">{{cite magazine |last1=Betts |first1=Stephen L. |title=Flashback: Patsy Cline's 'I Fall to Pieces' Hits Number One |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/flashback-patsy-clines-i-fall-to-pieces-hits-number-one-34935/ |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=August 10, 2015 |access-date=August 21, 2019}}</ref> After much arguing between both Cline and Bradley, they negotiated that she would record "I Fall to Pieces" (a song Bradley favored) and "Lovin' in Vain" (a song she favored).{{sfn|Wolff, Kurt|2000|pp=133–134}} Released as a single in January 1961, "I Fall to Pieces" attracted little attention upon its initial issue. In April, the song debuted on the Hot Country and Western Sides chart. By August 7, the song became her first to top the country chart. Additionally, "I Fall to Pieces" crossed over onto the ''Billboard'' pop chart, peaking at number 12.<ref name="I Fall to Pieces"/> ''Billboard'' ranked it as thenumber-two song for 1961 in the end-of-year charts.<ref>[[Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1961]]</ref>
[[File:Patsy Cline-1961.jpg|thumb|left|Cline promotional photograph shortly before her 1961 life-threatening car accident]]
On June 14, 1961, Cline and her brother Sam Hensley Jr. were involved in an automobile accident.<ref name="Car Crash">{{cite web |last1=Whitaker |first1=Sterling |title=Remember the Car Accident That Nearly Ended Patsy Cline's Career |url=https://tasteofcountry.com/patsy-cline-car-crash/ |website=Taste of Country |date=June 14, 2018 |access-date=August 21, 2019}}</ref> Cline had brought her mother, sister, and brother to see her new Nashville home the day before. On the day of the accident, Cline and her brother went shopping to buy material for her mother to make clothing. Upon driving home, their car was struck head-on by another vehicle.{{sfn|Nassour, Ellis|1993|p=148}} The impact threw her directly into the car windshield, causing extensive facial injuries. Among her injuries, Cline suffered a broken wrist, dislocated hip, and a large cut across her forehead, barely missing her eyes. Friend [[Dottie West]] heard about the accident by the radio and rushed to the scene, helping to remove pieces of broken glass from Cline's hair.<ref name="Car Crash"/> When first responders arrived, Cline insisted the driver in the other vehicle be treated first.<ref name="Car Crash"/> Two of the three passengers riding in the car that struck Cline died after arriving at the hospital. When she was brought to the hospital, her injuries were life-threatening, and she was not expected to live. She underwent surgery and survived. According to her husband Charlie Dick, upon waking up, she said to him, "Jesus was here, Charlie. Don't worry. He took my hand and told me, 'No, not now. I have other things for you to do.'" She spent a month recovering in the hospital.{{sfn|Nassour, Ellis|1993|pp=148–158}}