Fans & Celebrities to Honor the Memory of
Cowboy Copas, Patsy Cline, Hawkshaw Hawkins and Randy Hughes

Memorial Event Planned for 50^th Anniversary of Tragic Plane Crash

Nashville, TN --- A steering committee has been established in the city of Camden, Tennessee in Benton County to overesee plans for the 50^th anniversary memorial honoring the victims of a tragic plane crash that took the lives of Grand Ole Opry stars Cowboy Copas, Patsy Cline, Hawkshaw Hawkins and pilot, Randy Hughes on March 5^th, 1963.

Named GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN, the memorial event will be held February 28 - March 2, 2013 in Benton County and will honor the legacy of all four of the lives lost.

A worldwide call has been issued for memorabilia to be donated or loaned to the city of Camden in order to create a museum quality exhibit as part of the memorial event. Organizers are seeking records, photographs, newspaper and magazine articles and other memorabilia to place on display and possibly become part of a permanent museum.

At the time of their deaths, Copas, Cline and Hawkins were all revered as Country Music icons. On what remains one of the darkest days in country music history, the private plane carrying the stars, as well as Cline's manager Randy Hughes, crashed near Camden, Tennessee, killing all on board. The four were returning from Kansas City, where they had taken part in a benefit concert for the family of Cactus Jack Call who had been killed in an automobile accident. At the time of the crash, Hawkshaw Hawkins was married to Jean Shepard who is still a regular Grand Ole Opry performer.

Committee members include Ron Lane, manager of WRJB/WFWL, Bill Randall Kee, director of the Benton County/Camden Chamber of Commerce, and Terry Hudson, former Benton County Circuit Court Clerk and former radio personality. Others interested in serving on the committee are invited to contact any committee member.

Bill Anderson, Jan Howard, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Jr. and Mandy Barnett are slated to appear with other stars expected to be added. Live performances, panel discussions, memorabilia displays and other events will culminate with a concert and a candlelight vigil at the crash site on Saturday evening. 

A facebook page has been set up for fans to follow news leading up to the anniversary tribute, and to share their own comments. www.facebook.com/remember1963 

For information, contact Terry Hudson at terryhudson.rh@gmail.com or Laughing Penguin Publicity.