Loretta Lynn in the Southern Quote

She was born in Kentucky April 14, 1935, the second of Clara and Ted Webb’s eight children.  This child of the depression was fourteen years old when a handsome 21 year old came home from serving his country and stole her heart. Ten years and four children later, the young Kentucky mother who had always loved to sing had taught herself to play the guitar and had begun composing her own songs. Impressed with his wife’s talent, her husband encouraged her to begin singing professionally.
They scraped up enough money for the aspiring singer to cut a record, left the kids with her parents and hit the road, driving cross-country to push her single to every country radio station they could find on the map. That song, “I’m a Honky Tonk Girl”, delivered in a twangy, plainspoken style, resonated with audiences and launched the career of the woman who would become known as the Queen of Country Music, Loretta Lynn.  Life would change forever for Loretta and her husband Oliver Lynn, better known as Doo.

Over the next couple decades, Loretta Lynn would release hit after hit. Her fan base grew with each chart-topper, extending beyond country fans.  Newsweek put her on their cover. Her autobiography became a NYT’s Bestseller, and was subsequently made into a popular film starring Sissy Spacek and Tommy Lee Jones.

Loretta Lynn has over 52 Top 10 hits and 15 #1’s in her resume. Throughout her wildly successful career she fought to hold her family together despite the pressure of fame. She spent the largest part of 90’s caring for her Doo as his health began to fail, and then grieving his loss when he passed on.

In today’s Southern Quote, we pay tribute to the hit-making wonder who holds the distinction of being the first female artist to win the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year award.  Loretta  Lynn once said, “You’ve got to continue to grow, or you’re just like last night’s cornbread–stale and dry.”

Hugs, Shellie