Althouse: "Loretta Lynn, the country singer whose plucky songs and inspiring life story made her one of the most beloved American musical performers of her generation, died on Tuesday..."

October 4, 2022

"Loretta Lynn, the country singer whose plucky songs and inspiring life story made her one of the most beloved American musical performers of her generation, died on Tuesday..."

"... at her home in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. She was 90. Her family, in a statement, said she died in her sleep.... Her story was carved out of Kentucky coal country, from hardscrabble beginnings in Butcher Hollow (which her songs made famous as Butcher Holler). She became a wife at 15, a mother at 16 and a grandmother in her early 30s, married to a womanizing sometime bootlegger who managed her to stardom. That story made her autobiography, 'Coal Miner’s Daughter,' a best seller and the grist for an Oscar-winning movie adaptation of the same name. Her voice was unmistakable, with its Kentucky drawl, its tensely coiled vibrato and its deep reserves of power. 'She’s louder than most, and she’s gonna sing higher than you think she will,' said John Carter Cash, who produced Ms. Lynn’s final recordings. 'With Loretta you just turn on the mic, stand back and hold on.'"

The NYT reports.

25 comments:

mikee said...: Butcher Holler is a pronunciation of the words Butcher Hollow. Nobody who speaks Southern could see a difference between them.; 10/4/22, 10:28 AM
Temujin said...: What a life. What a voice.; 10/4/22, 10:36 AM
n.n said...: We have reached the threshold of a generational cascade.

That said, with reduced Posterity, this should be less of an event on a forward-looking basis.

And the music played on...; 10/4/22, 10:37 AM
Joe Smith said...: I am a big fan of 'classic' country music (the new stuff is garbage) from the '50s through early '80s.*

For some reason she doesn't get nearly as much play time as someone like Patsy Cline.

But I've never heard a bad word said against her.

RIP Loretta...

*Willie's Roadhouse on SiriusXM is a good channel.; 10/4/22, 11:01 AM
Joe Smith said...: 'Butcher Holler is a pronunciation of the words Butcher Hollow. Nobody who speaks Southern could see a difference between them.'

Kind of like my friend from Rhode Island.

After playing tuber in the marching band we would go out for pizzer...; 10/4/22, 11:02 AM
michaele said...: Loved the video you chose...it is such a visual and audio time capsule. The instrumentation is so representative of country music from that time period and Loretta delivered the song with pluck and smiling confidence. Thank you!; 10/4/22, 11:11 AM
William said...: It wasn't my music, but I can see the appeal....Coal Miner's Daughter is a good movie, but how often does it fall out that the movie star playing a real person is worse looking than the real person. (Exclusive of movies about movie stars and JFK, of course.) Coal Miner's Daughter would have been better if the title role had been played by Reese Witherspoon or Jessica Lange. Loretta Lynn had an Ava Gardner vibe.; 10/4/22, 11:13 AM
Joe Biden, America's Putin said...: She was discovered in Tacoma Washington; 10/4/22, 11:15 AM
Wilbur said...: She was certainly a significant figure in country music. Could powerfully deliver a song, knew her audience and was a great songwriter, too.

She had some great duets with Harold Jenkins, er, I mean Conway Twitty back in the day. Almost as good as Porter and Dolly.; 10/4/22, 11:35 AM
Joe Smith said...: 'Coal Miner's Daughter is a good movie, but how often does it fall out that the movie star playing a real person is worse looking than the real person.'

Don't know about that...Sissy Spacek in 'Carrie' was peak hotness to this high-schooler.

Something, something shower scene...; 10/4/22, 11:36 AM
JAORE said...: Anyone who can rhyme "tired" and"hard" is good in my book.; 10/4/22, 11:49 AM
Scotty, beam me up... said...: I had an opportunity to briefly meet Loretta Lynn in the early 1970’s as a young teenager at Fanfest in Nashville. I shook her hand and had a chance to have a brief conversation with Ms. Lynn. My memories of Loretta was that she was friendly, humble, and interested in what I was saying to her. My parents are huge Country Music fans, while I was more into ‘50’s and ‘60’s Rock ‘n’ Roll. However, my parents had introduced me to Ms. Lynn’s music as a child and I became a fan of hers. My parents took me to a Loretta Lynn concert in the 1970’s and she put on a fantastic show. Rest in Peace, Ms. Lynn, and a heartfelt “Thank You!!!” for the music you had made and the minute you had made for me. 😢; 10/4/22, 12:01 PM
kcl766 said...: Heard the news driving home from the gym. Started singing this exact song while walking in the house. Now THIS is country music, not the crap on the radio today.; 10/4/22, 1:07 PM
robinintn said...: "visual and audio time capsule" - courtesy of the great Owen Bradley. If anyone is looking for the best music podcast that will ever be made, check out Tyler Mahan Coe's "Cocaine and Rhinestones".; 10/4/22, 1:27 PM
who-knew said...: I wasn't a fan when she was all over country radio, in fact I wouldn't have been caught dead listening to country radio, but came around later (I think of it as getting smarter). And now, I list4n to a lot of country music but wouldn't be caught dead listening to country radio because all they play is mediocre rock bands that happen to wear cowboy hats. Jack White did a great job producing her 1n 2004 (Van Lear Rose) but I suppose it's easy when your working with a true star.; 10/4/22, 2:07 PM
ga6 said...: Played her an Cash on juke boxes in the Phillipines 1964, onderful..
A bit off topic but a WGN radio soft voiced "carrying toned" male had to tie in her death with Roe vs Wade ass...; 10/4/22, 2:51 PM
MadTownGuy said...: Here's another, more recent duet of Loretta's:
Lay Me Down

Kindly excuse the (ugh) Josh Shapiro commercial.; 10/4/22, 3:12 PM
boatbuilder said...: RIP, Loretta. A legend.; 10/4/22, 4:34 PM
etbass said...: Hate to say it but I liked Sissy Spacek's version of that song better (assuming she actually sang it herself). She did a great job in Coal Miner's Daughter and brought great credit on Loretta Lynn.; 10/4/22, 4:50 PM
rsbsail said...: Growing up in the 60s and 70s in Ft. Worth, TX, I wasn't a big fan of country music. But when disco became all the rage, I quickly found the pleasures of going to a dance hall and listening to good old country music, and dancing the night away. I actually went to Gilley's before it became famous in "Urban Cowboy!" We had to find other dance halls, such as Eddie's in Manvel, TX, to get away from the tourists!; 10/4/22, 6:46 PM
Bender said...: William, it's best to just keep your mouth shut rather than say something idiotic.

Sissy Spacek has a real certain beauty. Still does in her 70s.; 10/4/22, 8:38 PM
The Godfather said...: I fell into Country Music when Folk disappeared -- you can (in your imagination) sing along with both. Someone upthread mentioned SXM. I mostly read Althouse with SXM country music in my earbuds. Loretta was great. I hope she enjoyed a lot of those 90 years.; 10/4/22, 9:25 PM
madAsHell said...: 'Butcher Holler is a pronunciation of the words Butcher Hollow.

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit, and noticed that Edinburgh is always pronounced Edinboro!!; 10/4/22, 10:28 PM
William said...: I didn't say or even imply that Sissy Spacek is ugly. I said that she is not as good looking as Loretta Lynn. Jessica Lange is better looking than Patsy Cline. Reese Witherspoon is better looking than June Carter Cash. Dustin Hoffman is better looking than Bernstein. That's how it usually goes.; 10/4/22, 10:28 PM
madAsHell said...: The passing of a Great American always gives me pause.; 10/4/22, 10:30 PM