On June 19, 2008, Loretta Lynn was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. A feminist force on the country charts, Lynn is known for writing songs that capture the realities of everyday life for American women. To this day, she is the most awarded female country artist of all time. She also has sold more than 45 million albums worldwide.
Lynn was born Loretta Webb on April 14, 1932, in Butcher Hollow, KY. She grew up in a cabin in a struggling Appalachian coal-mining town. At a young age, she developed a love for singing while in church. A few months before her 16th birthday, she married Oliver Lynn. Before she was 20, she had four children.
In 1960, she recorded her first single, “I’m A Honky Tonk Girl” and visited multiple radio stations with her husband to get them to play her song. Encouraged by the minor success of “I’m A Honky Tonk Girl,” they moved the family to Nashville so Loretta could become a country star.
She landed a record contract after performing at the Legendary Grand Ole Opry in 1960. Loretta had her first big hit in 1962, aptly titled “Success.” She soon emerged as a feminist force on the country charts. Her songs, including “You Ain’t Woman Enough” and “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ (with Lovin’ On Your Mind),” showcased her assertive female perspective and trademark sense of humor.
In 1970, she released her chart-topping song, “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” In 1976, her autobiography, “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” became a bestseller and the 1980 film adaptation earned Sissy Spacek the Best Actress Oscar for playing Lynn. Throughout the 1970s, Lynn teamed up with Conway Twitty for a series of hit songs including their 1972 Grammy-winning duet, “After The Fire Is Gone.” She continued to infuse her songs, like 1975’s “The Pill,” with her feisty, feminist voice.
In the 1980s, Lynn continued to put out music, while also appearing on TV shows like “The Dukes of Hazzard,” “Fantasy Island” and “The Muppet Show.” Although her popularity began to wane in the 1990s, her 2004 album produced by Jack White, “Van Lear Rose,” earned her a new generation of fans. In 2013, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama.