Cline became one of West's biggest career inspirations. As West related to Ellis Nassour in the 1980 book "Patsy Cline", the greatest advice Cline ever gave her was, "When you're onstage sing to the audience with all of your heart and mean it. Then cast a spell over them. If you can't do it with feeling, then don't." In their early days in Nashville, West and her family often did not have enough to pay the rent or buy the week's groceries, so Cline would hire her to help with her wardrobe and West's husband Bill to play in her band. Cline even offered to help pay West's rent or buy groceries when Bill and she were struggling to stay in Nashville.