Remembering an icon. Country music stars and more celebrities paid tribute to the late Loretta Lynn after her death at age 90.
The “Coal Miner’s Daughter” singer’s family announced the news on Tuesday, October 4. “Our precious mom, Loretta Lynn, passed away peacefully this morning, October 4th, in her sleep at home at her beloved ranch in Hurricane Mills, [Tennessee],” read a Twitter statement. “The family has asked for privacy during this time, as they grieve. An announcement regarding a memorial will be forthcoming in a public announcement.”
The songwriter was a pioneer for women in country music, scoring 24 No. 1 hit singles and 11 No. 1 albums throughout her six decades in the genre. She was nominated for 18 Grammys over the years, winning three, and was given a Presidential Medal of Freedom by former President Barack Obama in 2013. Shortly before her death, Lynn celebrated her 60th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
“This coal miner’s daughter gave voice to a generation, singing what no one wanted to talk about and saying what no one wanted to think about,” Obama, 61, said at Lynn’s medal ceremony. “And now, over 50 years after she cut her first record … Loretta Lynn still reigns as the rule-breaking, record-setting queen of country music.”
After suffering a stroke in 2017, the “Don’t Come Come A-Drinkin'” artist ended her 57-year run of touring on the road. She broke her hip one year later.
Despite the challenges that emerged in her later career, Lynn remained one of the most influential voices for up-and-coming country artists. “There wasn’t that many women singing when I started. Yeah, it was all men. But we showed them,” she said on Southern Living’s “Biscuits & Jam” podcast in April 2021 while discussing her album Still Woman Enough.
The “Success” artist shed light on her songwriting process, explaining how she drew inspiration from her own life. “To write a song, I write about me a lot, you know? And [for] ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter,’ I sat down on the back porch of the old home place and just looked up the hill and started — ‘Well, I was born a coal miner’s daughter’ — and I wrote the song,” she recalled. “It’s like writing a poem and, you know, no big deal. When you’re hungry, you can find that you can do a lot of things that you didn’t know you could do.”
At the time, Lynn gushed over the many collaborators she brought in to work on her 50th studio record, from Reba McEntire and Carrie Underwood to Margo Price. “Well, these are all my girlfriends, and I love them all. You know, I love these girls. And if they ever need me for anything, all they have to do is holler,” she said of her fellow country artists. “And because that’s all I had to do, you know? And I love these girls. Love them with all my heart.”
Scroll down to see how celebrities are paying tribute to Lynn after her death:
"She was an inspiration. R.I.P. Loretta Lynn," the "I Feel the Earth Move" artist wrote via Twitter. AFF-USA/Shutterstock
The "Space Cowboy" artist simply tweeted, "Loretta," with a broken heart emoji. Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock
"Oh, sweet loretta lynn… what a life! what an icon! what a trailblazer! what a beautiful soul! may she rest peacefully with the angels. my heart is with her family and friends," the songwriter tweeted on Tuesday. Matt Baron/Shutterstock
Pearce shared a black-and-white photo of the late legend via Instagram, writing, "She showed us all how to unapologetically tell the truth. One of the greatest there ever will be. I’ll be singing “Dear Miss Loretta” with a little extra love tonight at the @opry ♥️ Now she really is a Honky Tonk Angel đź•Š #RIP." Tammie Arroyo/Shutterstock
"Listening to nothing but Loretta Lynn for the rest of the week. RIP to an absolute icon in country music. Damn," the "Pretty Heart" crooner tweeted. AFF-USA/Shutterstock
Dolly Parton's sister tweeted a selfie taken with Lynn. "My heart is broken with the news of my sweet friend Loretta Lynn passing," she wrote. "I will remember all the sweet visits and laughs we shared. RIP sweet Angel." S Meddle/ITV/Shutterstock
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