Loretta Lynn, country music legend, dead at 90
Loretta Lynn, the legendary country music troubadour who spent six decades writing and recording, has passed away at the age of 90. No cause of death was officially announced, although Lynn had experienced ongoing health problems over the last decade.
“Our precious mom, Loretta Lynn, passed away peacefully this morning, October 4th, in her sleep at home in her beloved ranch in Hurricane Mills,” the family said in a statement.
Born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky as Loretta Webb, Lynn part of a poor family growing up and married her husband, Oliver ‘Doolittle’ Lynn, as a 15-year-old in 1948. By the time Lynn released her debut single, ‘I’m a Honky Tonk Girl’ in 1960, she had already given birth to four children. Lynn’s difficult rural upbringing was commemorated in her signature song, ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’, and her turbulent marriage to her husband inspired some of her best songs, including ‘Fist City’ and ‘You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)’.
Initially conforming to the standard topics of early country music, Lynn soon made a name for herself thanks to her outspoken views on progressive topics like divorce, contraception, and opposition to the Vietnam War. Hard-edged songs like ‘Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)’, ‘Woman of the World (Leave My World Alone)’, and ‘Rated X’ were chart-topping singles on the Billboard Country Singles chart despite their controversial themes. All told, Lynn notched 16 number one singles on the Country Singles chart and ten number one albums.
Lynn was also a crossover success, landing three Grammy Awards in her lifetime. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988 and was awarded the Kennedy Center Honors by President George W. Bush in 2003. In 2013, Lynn was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour in the United States, by President Barack Obama.
Lynn was the subject of the Academy Award-winning 1980 film Coal Miner’s Daughter, where actress Sissy Spacek won Best Actress for her portrayal of Lynn. In the 21st Century, Lynn continued to release new material, collaborating with artists like Jack White, Willie Nelson, and John Carter Cash, the son of fellow country legend Johnny Cash. Lynn released her 46th and most recent album, Still Woman Enough, in 2021.
Lynn’s influence in country music can’t be overestimated, with influential figures like Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Reba McEntire, Faith Hill, Lucinda Williams, Shania Twain, Neko Case, The White Stripes, Paramore, and Carrie Underwood all taking cues from Lynn’s work. Lynn is survived by four of her six children, Ernest, Clara, Patsy, and Peggy.
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