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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZLYNN, Loretta(b Loretta Webb, 14 April 1932, Butcher Hollow KY; d 4 October 2022, Hurricane Mills KY) One of the most successful female singers in country music, an unmistakable voice with echoes of earlier traditional singers, also a songwriter including autobiographical 'Coal Miner's Daughter'. She brought a woman's attitude to country music in her songs. Married Oliver V. Lynn ('Mooney', or 'Doo' for Doolittle) before her 14th birthday; they moved to Washington state and had four children before she was out of her teens (a grandmother at 32, six children altogether; her eldest son died in a farm accident '85). Urged and supported by Mooney, who bought her a guitar, she took up singing, formed band the Trailblazers, worked local clubs; made '60 top 20 country hit 'Honky Tonk Girl' for Zero label, handling promotion herself. They moved to Nashville, she became a regular on the Wilburn Bros syndicated weekly TV show; turned down by Capitol and Columbia, she signed with Decca: 22 hits in country top ten '62-71 included 'Before I'm Over You', 'Blue Kentucky Girl', 'You Ain't Woman Enough', 'Don't Come Home A'Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind), 'Your Squaw Is On The Warpath', 'Coal Miner's Daughter' and 'You're Looking At Country'; carried on with 'Rated X', 'Love Is The Foundation', 'Trouble In Paradise', 'The Pill' (controversial '75 hit which some radio stations refused to play), 'She's Got You' and 'Why Can't He Be You' '77. Also teamed with Ernest Tubb for albums and single hits including 'Mr And Mrs Used To Be' '64, 'Who's Gonna Take The Garbage Out' '69. She split from the Wilburns late '60s; they sued her for breach of contract; when that was settled she formed United Talent booking agency with Conway Twitty, also recording duets; named vocal duo of the year four times by the CMA: LP United Talent and hits such as 'Lead Me On', 'Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man', 'As Soon As I Hang Up The Phone' '71-4. She was the first woman to be CMA's Entertainer of the Year '72; named Artist of the Decade '79 by the ACM. She had her own chain of Western wear shops, a music publishing company, and a travelling rodeo show; she was first woman in country music to become a millionaire, first to be on cover of Newsweek ('73); became TV celebrity with frank talk on chat shows. Autobiography Coalminer's Daughter '76 was nine weeks on NY Times best-seller list, filmed '80 with Sissy Spacek in the title role (she won an Oscar). I Remember Patsy '77 was tribute LP to Patsy Cline, who helped her in the early days; largely absent from the charts after mid-'80s she was still active, often appeared at Branson, Grand Ole Opry etc; teamed with Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette for successful Honky Tonk Angels '93 on Columbia. Mooney's death in August 1996 after a long illness took its toll: he had done his share of philandering but she always gave him credit for kick-starting her career. Other LPs (all on Decca/MCA) included Songs From My Heart '64, First City '66, Who Says God Is Dead '67, Wings Upon Your Horns '69, Writes 'em And Sings 'em '70, I Wanna Be Free '71, Here I Am Again '72, Back To The Country '76, Out Of My Head And Into My Bed '78, Loretta '80, Lookin' Good '80, Makin' Love From Memory '82, Lyin', Cheatin', Woman Chasin', Honky Tonkin', Whiskey Drinkin' You '83. |