Cline was killed instantly on March 5, 1963, when a small private plane she was traveling on while returning to Nashville crashed in a heavy downpour and limited visibility in Camden, Tenn., 90 miles outside of Music City. Cline had been in Kansas City to perform at a benefit for the family of DJ Jack “Cactus” Call, who had died in a car crash that January.
Cowboy Copas, Hawkshaw Hawkins and the pilot, Randy Hughes, also died instantly. Roger Miller and a friend searched for the wreckage the next morning, and ended up being among the first to find the plane and its passengers.
Cline released one final single, “Leavin’ on Your Mind,” in January of 1963 before her death in March. She scored hits with “Sweet Dreams” and “Faded Love” after her death, and her legend grew over the years, resulting in a long string of posthumous hits collections and live releases. Jessica Lange earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in 1985 for her portrayal of Cline in the biopic Sweet Dreams.