Country crooner Patsy Cline’s former home was on the auction block this past week.
She didn’t live in the quaint mid-century brick rancher very long before her tragic death in 1963, but she described it as her “dream house” and relished decorating the house after she and her husband moved in.
Notably, her body was even laid in repose in her beloved house for her wake.
Cline got a $22,000 royalty check from Decca Records in February 1962 after she’d gotten her first No. 1 single with I Fall to Pieces.
Cline and her husband Charlie Dick used the royalty money to put a down payment on the Goodlettsville, Tennessee home and closed on May 23, 1962.
The mid-century rancher at 815 Nella Drive, has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms in 2,770 square feet. It sits on a 0.610-acre lot.
After Patsy’s death, her husband Charlie sold the house to singer Wilma Burgess, who reportedly found money Cline had hidden behind a brick in the den fireplace a year later. Burgess also came to believe the house was haunted.
Have a look inside…
This is the living room where the iconic singer’s casket was displayed after her death in a plane crash that killed some of Opry Land’s most promising stars.
Patsy lived here less than a year but enjoyed decorating her new home. She had ordered custom furniture and drapes that had just arrived before she perished.
Today, the home is set up as a tribute to Cline, and it appears very much the way it did when Patsy lived here.
After this post was originally published, House Crazy Sarah received the following email from a reader:
“Hey there…I loved what you wrote about my family’s house. I was hoping that you’d tag the owner, Steven Shirey, regarding the Dream Home. He is (was) my uncle and he was sooo very talented and tried to honor Patsy Cline when it came to this house. It breaks my heart that he hasn’t received any credit for all the work he put into this…including having it put on the Historical Registry. He recently passed in October 2021 and I am trying to honor him in some form or fashion.”
Mr. Steven Shirey, we wholeheartedly salute you for your passion and your utmost attention to detail in your quest to honor Patsy Cline in her former home!
Below, Patsy is pictured cooking in her kitchen.
A wider shot of the kitchen as it appeared when the Cline’s lived here:
Steven Shirey has done an excellent job of keeping the decor as original as possible!
The best part of the kitchen is this cute little desk nook with a window:
How charming is the hanging grape light fixture? You can almost picture Patsy sitting there, replying to fan mail.
The breakfast nook is also a sweet, intimate space:
The auction last week started bidding at $549,900.
No word yet on the actual selling price.
The bathrooms are small but it’s neat to see the original pink tile – Patsy’s favorite color.
Another hanging light cluster of grapes! Where did they find those kitschy things?
The home also has a full, walkout basement.
In 2019 and 2020, the basement suite was listed on VRBO and Airbnb as a vacation rental for $250/night.
The delightful kitchenette is Patsy-themed with her signature pink appliances.
It would be great if the new owners kept the home up as a tribute/museum to Pasty… her spirit is all over this house.
The home also features a covered patio…
Love the vintage patio furniture!
There is a 2-car garage PLUS a large two-car carport for those big mid-century boats.
The gentle property has a pretty country feel…
View of the back of the home:
Side view of the house:
Below, Patsy and her family are pictured sitting by the front door of their home in September of 1962:
Patsy’s untimely death was a huge blow to the American mid-century country music scene, but at least her sweet spirit lives on in her Tennessee “dream house” – thanks to a man named Steven Shirey!
Sources:
http://www.historyshomes.com/detail.cfm?id=235
http://www.cmt.com/news/1839335/patsy-clines-possibly-haunted-dream-home-is-for-sale/
PS…….check out another beloved time capsule home of a famous country music star: The Johnny Cash Home In Hendersonville Tennessee
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