First released in 1967 (four years after the artist's death in a plane crash at age 30), this greatest-hits collection has endured for more than four decades as the quintessential introduction to Patsy Cline's catalogue. The first woman inducted as a solo artist into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1973, she influenced subsequent generations of country singers (from Loretta Lynn to k.d. lang to LeAnn Rimes) more than any other female artist.

It's easy to hear why on these 12 tracks, which sound, in a word, perfect. In terms of iconic stature, Cline may never have eclipsed her breakthrough hit, "Walkin' After Midnight"; although the version included here is not the one that topped the charts in 1957 (this one's a 1961 re-recording), it's no less an arresting stamp of identity. Part of that is due to the pristine production touch of Owen Bradley, who framed the soulful sweetness of Cline's croon with just the right blend of country simplicity and pop sophistication. And so it was that Don Gibson's "Sweet Dreams (Of You)," Willie Nelson's "Crazy," and Harlan Howard/Hank Cochran's "I Fall To Pieces" became cornerstones of American culture, known to nearly everyone thanks… read more »