Which singer recorded the country hit ‘Crazy’, written by Willie Nelson?

Patsy Cline recorded the country hit ‘Crazy’, written by Willie Nelson. Cline’s version was released in 1961 and became one of the most celebrated recordings in country music.

Nelson wrote the song in 1961, before he had achieved his greatest fame as a performer. Cline initially disliked the song because of its unusual phrasing, but after recovering from injuries sustained in a car accident, she recorded it with producer Owen Bradley. The vocal performance combines restraint with emotional intensity, while the piano and backing arrangement give it a polished Nashville sound.

‘Crazy’ became strongly identified with Cline, even though Nelson later recorded his own version. Cline died in a plane crash in 1963, at age 30, which helped give her short career an enduring legendary status. The song is sometimes mistakenly described as a Nelson hit first, but Cline’s recording was the breakthrough version and remains the canonical performance associated with the composition.