Cline tribute leaves audience crazy over classic sound

BY JENNIFER HOEGG

NovaNewsNow.com

Only Patsy Cline herself could have made the Windsor audience happier Saturday, Oct. 13.

After 16 years of playing the iconic country singer on stage, Margot Sampson knows how to channel Cline. In fact, Cline’s widower endorsed Sampson’s performance in Just a Closer Walk with Patsy Cline.

Certainly, Sampson wowed the large crowd at the Mermaid Imperial Performing Arts Centre with her tribute.

Foregoing the authentic costuming of the stage show, Sampson took the stage in her own dress and bare feet, and looked completely at home. Accompanied by a trio of Mikes - Leggat on keyboard, Farrington on bass and harmonica, Swinimer on drums - and music director Greg Simm on guitar, Sampson filled the theatre with a wide variety of well-known and obscure songs from Cline's repertoire.

Missing only a touch of earthy twang that Cline credited to a childhood throat infection, Sampson’s voice is so similar to Cline’s in texture and mannerisms, especially on the high notes, that you could close your eyes and imagine yourself back in the day. Even the funny stories the talented singer/actress told about Cline’s life and her own stage show performances echoed the spunkiness, tinged with sadness, of Patsy Cline.

Her ability to project what one audience member described as Cline’s “vulnerability and earthiness” was clear from the opening song, “Strange”. Throughout both sets she enraptured the audience: from the mellow “Wayward Wind” and “A Poor Man’s Roses” to the foot-stomping, rockin’ tunes like “For Rent.” From the first set, “Walking after Midnight” was the most authentic tribute to Cline.



‘Money numbers’, crowd-pleasers

The second set was full of what Sampson called “the money numbers” and the challenge of not singing and dancing along grew harder. Opening with “That’s How Much I Love You” and “Leaving on My Mind”, favourites such as “Blue Moon of Kentucky” and Irving Berlin’s “Always” proceeded through a bevy of hits. Fittingly, the set closed with “I Fall to Pieces” and “Crazy.”

In a pleasant diversion from many shows, Sampson acknowledged openly that she had planned an encore and didn’t leave the stage after her beautiful rendition of “Crazy.” Following a standing ovation, she finished the show with a fun offering of “(Won't You Come Home) Bill Bailey."

Aside from a few moments when the lighting technician thought himself at a rock concert, the evening was perfect. Windsor’s Simm kept the five musicians in sync and shared Sampson’s rapport with the audience, and the audience seemed fully satisfied. Kudos again to the Mermaid staff, who continue to bring interesting performances to the Imperial.

A follow-up to three shows with Parrsboro’s Ships Company Theatre, the Windsor event was Sampson’s final performance of Patsy Cline songs.

With 16 years of Patsy in her life, will she miss it? “It hasn’t really hit me yet,” Sampson said after the show. “This was a great audience; couldn’t really go out in a better way!”