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Randy Hughes

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Agent

The Resume

    (September 11, 1928-March 5, 1963)
    Born in Ham, Tennessee
    Birth name was Ramsey Dorris Hughes
    Recording session guitarist, later business manager and pilot
    Specialized in country music and folk songs
    Mainly collaborated with Cowboy Copas
    Best known for his professional partnership with Patsy Cline (1959-1963)
    Purchased a yellow Piper PA-24 Comanche, after taking basic flying lessons
    Pilot of the Camden PA-24 'Grand Ole Opry' crash which claimed the lives of Patsy, Copas, and Hawkshaw Hawkins (Mar. 5, 1963)
    Portrayed by David Clennon in the Patsy Cline biopic, with Jessica Lange, 'Sweet Dreams' (1985)

Why he might be annoying:

    He shares a name with a strong safety for the Dallas Cowboys.
    Some sites credit his birth name as 'Randy John Hughes,' when his own tombstone reads 'Ramsey.'
    He cemented his professional relationship with Cowboy Copas by marrying Copas' daughter, and then cheated on her with Patsy.
    His friends claimed that the success he got from managing Patsy's career went to his head, turning him into an extravagant 'big shot.'
    He wrote a song called 'Birthday Cake,' with the main lyrics reading 'now take away your hand don't you let it linger/you might get a little on your finger' and 'get your finger out of it/It don't belong to you!'
    He bought a plane, reasoning that purchasing it would be to his clients' advantage (they would arrive faster to performances without relying on cars).
    He wasn't trained to fly in pouring rain and loaded with instruments, but he still opted to attempt the flight to Nashville from Kansas City, as planned (even after receiving bad weather advisories).
    His plan was to hop from one small airport to another, until the storm cleared. They made it as far as Dyersburg, Tennessee, where he turned down an offer to stay at the local motel (only to crash in heavy rain hours later).

Why he might not be annoying:

    He performed on Tex Ritter's Ranch Party.
    When he failed to make traction as an entertainer, he wisely settled for the next best thing and became an agent.
    He took over the duties of acting as Patsy's manger after her husband, Charlie, opted out.
    He was at the helm of Cline's 1961 comeback, helping her change labels to Decca Records, and securing for her the lifelong dream of performing at the Grand Ole Opry.
    Jean Shepard was criticized for pointing out that his death (and the deaths of her husband and Copa) has been overshadowed by the coverage of Cline's death in the same plane.
    On the surface, his idea had merit, as many country music entertainers were finding that commercial airlines often could not accommodate their personal appearance schedules.
    The short-lived affair between the two evolved largely in part due to the violent drunkenness of Patsy's husband (she would usually call Randy after one of their drag-out fights).
    He was described as being extremely protective toward Patsy, and a stable figure on which she could lean (whereas Charlie, while good-natured, was described as more of 'a big ole' kid').
    His widow, Kathy, exhibited an almost angelic level of forgiveness, saying 'I tried to put myself in Patsy's place. Yes, I would admire my husband too if I were married to this guy who was drunk all the time. Randy was a stable force in her life. He was someone who she could trust... I'd probably go for him too.'
    After his death, Ferlin Husky started a publishing company, and he insisted that Kathy, who had no publishing experience, retain half the company. She used the money generated by hits like 'On the Wings of a Dove,' for college tuition for herself and two sons.

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 101 Votes: 42.57% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 11 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying