Loretta Lynn

Loretta Lynn

(Singer, Songwriter, Guitar)

• Given Name: Loretta Webb
• Date of Birth: April 14, 1935
• Place of Birth: Butcher Hollow, Johnson County, Kentucky
• Married: Oliver V. "Mooney" Lynn
• Children: Betty Sue, Jack Benny (dec’d.), Ernest Ray, Clara Marie (Cissy), Patsy Eileen, Peggy Jean

Loretta Lynn, one of the few real giants of Country music, rose from humble Appalachian Kentucky beginnings, to become a household name throughout America.

Loretta knew tough times from early childhood as a member of a poor, but proud mountain family. Music played an important part in the regional culture and Loretta was influenced by girl singers she heard. She married "Mooney" Lynn in 1949, and the next year moved to the Pacific Northwest. Within four years she had four children and it was her fondness for music that helped ease the loneliness she felt being so far from home.

She began singing at local functions and in 1960 cut some sides on the small Zero record label, and through the promotion efforts of herself and Mooney, one side of her first release went to the Top 15 on the Country chart. She went to Nashville, where she secured a contract with Decca in 1961.

One of her next releases went to the Top 10 and led to her joining the Grand Ole Opry that September. She became a regular on the Wilburn Brothers syndicated television show, which further enhanced her popularity. She had a number of charted hits and by 1966, left the Wilburns and went on her own.

She continued the hit string through the rest of the decade, recording her all-time favorite Coal Miner’s Daughter, in 1969. This later became the title of her best-selling autobiography and award-winning movie starry Sissy Spacek.

Loretta continued to turn out hits through the 1970’s and became the first female recipient of both the CMA’s (1972) and the ACM’s (1975) "Entertainer of the Year" awards. She was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983, and was recipient of Music City News Cover Award’ "Living Legend Award" in 1986. In 1988, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and also in that year two of her albums were Certified Gold.

In addition to a successful solo career, Loretta was one half of two memorable duos. In the 1960’s, Decca teamed her with Ernest Tubb to produce some strong chartmakers. However, the stronger combination, with Conway Twitty, produced five consecutive No. 1 hits beginning in 1971 through 1974 and other hits that were all Top 10 entries.

Several of Loretta’s kin have also worked in Country music, including sisters Peggy Sue and Crystal Gayle, brother Jay Lee Webb, brother-in-law Sonny Wright, daughter Cissy, and son Ernest Ray.

Loretta has persisted as an active performer, appearing in Branson, Missouri, when not touring elsewhere or playing at the Opry. She has continued as a living legend with a host of fans, having collected approximately 60 charted numbers as a soloist and 18 more with duet partners. The honors and awards bestowed on her by fans, the industry and former President George H.W. Bush may be unprecedented, and Loretta’s unapologetic Country may have also played a key role in her popularity.

Recordings include:

• You Ain’t Woman Enough
• Don’t Come Home A Drinkin’
• Woman of the World (Leave My Man Alone)
• Coal Miner’s Daughter
• You’re Looking at Country
• Hey Loretta
• The Pill
• We’ve Come a Long Way Baby
• Mr. and Mrs. Used to Be
• After the Fire Is Gone
• Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man
• A Soon as I Hang Up the Phone
• Silver Threads and Golden Needles