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From West End to West Virginia: the Patsy Cline tribute act who is set to tour States

West End singer Suzie Graham to meet family of country legend Patsy Cline on tribute tour of four US states.

She has been singing the songs of her country idol since the age of six.

Now Suzie Graham from the West End of Glasgow is on her way to the United States - and the very stomping grounds where Patsy Cline made her name.

And not only that, but Suzie will meet the country legend's daughter, Julie, and son, Randy, when she undertakes a tour of four US states next month.

https://youtu.be/i32VKKXwb_E

Watch: Suzie Graham is set to tour four U.S states with her tribute act in September.

The American singer's children are big fans of the Glasgow tribute act after sampling Suzie's sound online.

Both will meet the Glasgow singer when she lands stateside in September.

Performing under the name Suzie G, the Glasgow-based singer has been performing her tribute act to the country legend for the past four years.

She said the tour is an opportunity of a lifetime to perform Patsy Cline's famous songs in the heart of America where they know her work best.

Poster: Suzie G will play a series of shows across four states on her tour.

"I have been singing her songs since as far back as I remember since being introduced to her by my mother at around the age of six," Suzie told Glasgow West End Today.

"Since then, she has always been a big part of me and as I got older I sung her songs at the first chance I had.

"I could never have believed I would become a tribute to her and be so well received, that in itself is a blessing for me.

"Through the power of the internet, I have been asked in September to come to the States and do a tour over the four state region where Patsy sang in Virginia, West Virginia, Baltimore, Maryland and Pennsylvania."

She said: "I am also going to be meeting Patsy's daughter Julie and her son Randy who has been a Facebook friend of mine for some time.

Legend: Patsy Cline had a series of hits including Willie Nelson's Crazy.

"I am doing a show in the famous "Troubadour Lounge" owned by none other than Joltin' Jim McCoy who was the first DJ to ever play Patsy's records.

"His band played at Patsy's wedding to Charlie Dick (who sadly passed in November 2015) and Jim was also pall bearer at Patsy's funeral."

Suzie will feature on various radio stations including WRNR and Classic Country Radio with Rob Mario and WHAG news. Local newspaper the Martinsburg Journal will also be doing a piece on the Glasgow singer when she arrives.

"It has been arranged for me to visit the cemetery where Patsy is resting and to meet with the director of the Patsy Cline Historic House Judy Sue.

"They say I'll be splattered all over the place as Patsy's son Randy was one of the first people to comment on my Facebook page how much he appreciated that I did have a gift to sound like his mother.

https://youtu.be/tezxNsuheu4

Watch: Suzie G has been performing her tribute show since 2012.

Suzie, 42, who lives in Queen Margaret Drive, has always been involved with music.

"I've been singing in various bands and as a cabaret act since I was about 16, one of my first band's "Vivid" played in the QM many times as well as "The Rat Trap" and "King Tut's" back in the nineties, basically anything to do with singing I'm there.

"I performed in Glasgow's Clyde Auditorium with "Ace Concerts" as part of "Musicals for All" in 2004 and also sang in the Royal Concert Hall as part of "Sounds International" which was a Peace concert for the Dalai Lama around 2005.

She has lived in Jersey and London, but returned to Glasgow in 2000.

"I also do a little Dolly Parton however Patsy is the act I'll be doing in the U.S.

"I use tracks, however in the States I will be accompanied by a band at many events.

West: Suzie Graham will meet Patsy Cline's daughter and son.

"I did try being a sales person for a time and was very good at it. I sold cars, double glazing, health insurance and toner cartridges, however music was always my main activity and I now make a full time living from that."

Cline was part of the early 1960s Nashville sound who successfully "crossed over" to pop music.

Her hits began in 1957 with "Walkin' After Midnight", "I Fall to Pieces", "She's Got You", and "Crazy" and ended in 1963 with Don Gibson's "Sweet Dreams".

She died at the age of 30 in a multiple-fatality crash of the private plane of her manager.

Suzie said: "It is more than Patsy's voice that makes this a dream come true for me.

"I am so enthralled by Patsy the person and the more I find out about her as a person - her fight for women's equality and her sense of humour, her full-of-life laugh and the fighting spirit that she had - this would be such a wonderful experience to talk about that."

For more information see: www.facebook.com/patsyclinetribute

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