Country singer, songwriter and music icon Loretta Lynn has passed away at the age of 90, her family confirmed in a statement shared on Twitter.
They wrote, “Our precious mother, Loretta Lynn, passed away peacefully in her sleep at home on her beloved ranch in Hurricane Mills this morning, October 4th.”
Lynn began her career after having her children with husband Oliver Lynn, aka “Doolittle,” and it spanned six decades.
Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Who Was Loretta Lynn’s Husband?
Lynn’s husband was Oliver Lynn, known as Doolittle. They married in January 1948 when she was just 13, having met at a cake party just a month earlier.
The couple had six children together: Betty Sue, Jack Benny, Cissie, Ernest Ray and twins Peggy and Patsy.
Doolittle died of complications from diabetes and heart failure in 1996 at the age of 69.
Lynn’s first guitar was bought by her husband in 1953 for $17. On Fresh Air in 2010, Lynn said she would not have become a singer without Doolittle’s encouragement.
“I was too shy. I wouldn’t go out in front of people,” she said. “I wouldn’t know, I was really shy and I would never have sung in front of anyone.”
Her husband’s infidelity inspired Lynn’s music
Doolittle’s infidelity inspired several of Lynn’s songs. She once told the BBC: “I’ve never written a song that my husband wasn’t in. Every song I wrote, he didn’t know what direction he was going in.”
Despite the fact that she discussed his infidelities on her songs like Fist City, Doolittle would “take whatever money the songs would make and run all the way to the bank, so he was happy!” Lynn told People.
In her autobiography, Coal Miner’s Daughter, Lynn wrote: “Without Doolittle there would be no career. I wouldn’t have started singing at all, and second, I wouldn’t have had the inspiration for some of my best songs. And I could never have run my business. So Doolittle is literally responsible for everything we have.”
This content could not be loaded
See more
Loretta Lynn has made a tremendous contribution to the country music world. We all adored and loved her. 💜 pic.twitter.com/M8LIXNu3IQ
— Barbara Mandrell (@barbaramandrell) October 4, 2022
View Tweet
Fans pay tribute to Loretta Lynn
Thousands of people took to Twitter to pay tribute to Lynn following news of her death.
Journalist Dan Rather said: “The death of Loretta Lynn hits the news hard. your moving music. your wild spirit. A storyteller who used songs to channel an America that is fast disappearing. She was a miner’s daughter, sparkling like a diamond – brilliant, unbreakable and radiant.”
Barbara Mandrell said, “Loretta Lynn has made a tremendous contribution to the country music world. We all adored and loved her.”
Country singer Shania Twain spoke about the impact Lynn has had on her own career, writing, “There is no Shania Twain without Loretta Lynn (and everyone who came before her) – she’s constantly kicking in the door and finding humor in the process ! RIP Loretta.”
Many fans shared their memories of listening to Lynn’s music throughout her life.
One music lover tweeted: “I am shocked and very saddened by the news of Loretta Lynn’s passing. I grew up in a very small town in Ohio and I remember my mom playing her records when I was little. It’s a sad, sad day for country music lovers.”
Another wrote: “Thank you Loretta Lynn for all your wonderful country songs you have given us over the years. You will always be a legend to us! We love you!”
show everything
In other news, there is a woman on a boat explaining the riddle and the answer
Comments are closed.