Music legend showcased by Southside

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Back by popular demand is Patty Richardson of Peachtree City as the Legendary Patsy Cline. The Southside Theater in Fairburn will really be “swinging” this September when Patty Richardson and Susan Gillespie return to the stage for an encore production of “Always… Patsy Cline.”

This presentation, produced by Ed and Patty Richardson of Peachtree City and Susan and Charlie Gillespie of Newnan, showcases the Ted Swindley show about Patsy Cline and her relationship with one devoted fan. Patsy Cline, one of the most influential, successful and acclaimed female vocalists of the 20th century, touched the hearts of many with her soulful tunes, thanks in part to her ability to make listeners feel like she was a friend talking to them personally, expressing their own thoughts.

Also, starring is the Rick Massengale Band, with band members Rex Butner, Mike Burke, David Janssen, Eddie Thomas, and Sonia Squires. The Patsy Cline back up singers, Charlie Gillespie, Danny Beck, Mack Alexander and Larry Cox, sing with Patty Richardson on 27 of Patsy Cline’s most beloved songs. Rick Massengale and his wife Jeannine live in Newnan. Rick is the music director at the First United Methodist Church in Fayetteville.

“Always….Patsy Cline” is more than a tribute to the legendary country singer who died tragically in 1963 at the age of 30 in a plane crash. The show is based on a true story of Cline’s friendship with a fan from Houston named Louise Seger. Louise (played by Susan Gillespie) befriended Patsy Cline (played by Patty Richardson) in a Texas honky-tonk in 1961, and continued a correspondence with Cline until her untimely death. What began as Seger’s fan worship of Patsy Cline developed into a deep friendship based on mutual respect. As Gillespie put it, “It represents the kind of relationship that many fans would like to have with their heroes.” The show’s title was inspired by Cline’s letters to Seger, which were consistently signed “Love ALWAYS……Patsy Cline”.

According to Mr. Richardson, “The show combines humor, sadness and reality. It offers fans who remember Patsy Cline while she was alive a chance to look back, while giving new fans an idea of what seeing her was like and what she meant to her fans. Patsy Cline paved the way for women as headline performers…..and she was the first woman in country music to perform at New York’s Carnegie Hall.”

The show runs this weekend.Friday and Saturday night shows start at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday matinees start at 3 p.m. Tickets are $17 each and are available at www.patsy2014.com or by calling 770-683-4612