Country legend Loretta Lynn has led a remarkably storied life. She's also dealt with a lot
of challenges, some of which aren't widely known, even among fans. This is the untold
truth of Loretta Lynn.
Loretta Lynn was born on April 14, 1932, in Kentucky as Loretta Webb. She had seven siblings,
and her family had to deal with several challenges, particularly financial troubles during the
Great Depression, which understandably made things difficult for them. The Webbs were
a coal mining family, and had to learn to adjust, making sure that they didn't waste
anything at home and efficiently used the limited resources they had.
"Everybody started calling me a coal miner's daughter."
To distract herself from the realities of growing up poor, Lynn would often sing music
with her family by her side. The singer told WBUR News,
"When I was growing up with my sisters and brothers, we all sang and rocked the babies
to sleep, but that was as far as we ever did."
According to Lynn's autobiography, Coal Miner's Daughter, the singer actively avoided revisiting
some parts from her early life after she grew up. Lynn wrote,
"I avoid going back to places where there's too much poverty."
She added that, while she cherishes her memories, she wouldn't want to revisit the painful bits
again.
Loretta Lynn decided to get married when she was just shy of 16 years old. According to
Rolling Stone, Lynn claimed to be even younger in her autobiography, stating that she was
13 years old, but this statement was ultimately proven to be false. She wrote in Coal Miner's
Daughter that her parents were understandably upset when they found out about her decision
to get married at such a young age. Her parents ended up crying all night after they first
heard the news.
Her father warned her future husband to never physically hurt his daughter. Meanwhile, her
mom told Loretta that she was making a big mistake. Loretta's mother said to her daughter:
"This is something you'll regret for the rest of your life."
Nevertheless, Lynn stuck to her guns and exchanged vows with 21-year-old Oliver Lynn, also known
as Doolittle Lynn or "Doo."
Loretta Lynn picked up a guitar years after she got married to Oliver. She was encouraged
by her husband to polish her music skills. What's more, he gifted her a $17 Harmony guitar
for her birthday and motivated her to play.
"What did you get me a guitar for?"
Husband: "Because I like the way you sing."
Oliver complimented Loretta's voice, saying that she was talented, something that definitely
took her by surprise and spurred her to learn. In Coal Miner's Daughter, Lynn credited her
husband for giving her the confidence to pursue a career as a professional musician. She explained,
"It wasn't my idea: he told me I could do it. I'd still be a housewife today if he didn't
bring that guitar home and then encourage me to be a singer."
For her, being "noticed" was a matter of pride and something she didn't take lightly. It's
safe to say Doolittle's gift worked, and Lynn found herself working with local bands and
performing at live events. Her first official single, released in 1960, was called "I'm
a Honky Tonk Girl."
Loretta Lynn revealed in Coal Miner's Daughter that she didn't even know what a honeymoon
meant when she got hitched. The first few days were very awkward for Lynn as she tried
to figure out what being married meant for her. She realized how difficult marriage could
be, later writing,
"I can't say I recommend getting married at thirteen or fourteen."
She added that marriage is a test of its own and puts immense pressure on a relationship.
Plus, Lynn had to learn to embrace her responsibilities really early in life. She'd been married for
just a few months when she first started experiencing pregnancy symptoms, and became embarrassed
when her doctor told her that she was going to have a baby.
When Lynn's husband found out about this, he instructed her to go to her parents' house.
Reflecting on this, she wrote that her husband was cheating on her with other women back
then. This made things a lot more challenging for Lynn, who was already feeling down and
out.
One of the scariest things about Oliver Lynn was the fact that he was an alcoholic and
an abusive husband. Loretta was deeply affected by these things, and some of her songs reflected
on her experiences at length. Examples worth noting include "Fist City" and "Don't Come
Home A-Drinkin' (With Lovin' on Your Mind)." However, Loretta chose not to leave her husband,
despite their rocky relationship. The singer was also acutely aware of her situation, telling
CBS,
"It was real lonely. I felt sometimes it was better to be on the bus than to be home [...] because
he was drinking so much."
However, Lynn could always stand up for herself. Whenever her husband hit her, she retaliated.
She later recalled,
"He never hit me one time that I didn't hit him back twice."
She further revealed that she only decided to stay put because a broken relationship
would have been painful. Lynn told CBS,
"I didn't need him but he was my kids' daddy [...] I had to think of my kids. I can't be
that selfish."
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National
Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources,
and support at their website.
The thing about Loretta Lynn's music is that she's often used it as a medium to explore
difficult and controversial topics. Her song titled "The Pill" was incredibly controversial,
as it praised oral contraceptives, something that didn't go down too well with some listeners
in 1975 and also drew a lot of media attention.
"She has never been afraid to speak her mind."
The song was very personal, and Lynn publicly spoke about her views on contraception, telling
the Associated Press in 1975,
"I tell you, if they'd had the pill a little earlier, I think I'd have eaten 'em like popcorn."
More than a few radio stations decided to ban the song. A preacher from Kentucky took
it upon himself to criticize Lynn in a sermon and named the stations that had decided to
distance themselves from "The Pill." There were 60 names on that list. Nonetheless, the
song was widely heard. According to Taste of Country, Lynn saw at least 14 songs banned
during her career, but she never let that discourage her from making more music.
As far as she was concerned, she wasn't doing anything wrong. She told Parade that she never
meant to offend anyone:
"I would never set out to write something just for it to shock someone; I am not that
clever. It's always been about truth and if that means radio wants to ban it, well that's
their problem."
Loretta Lynn suffered a major loss when one of her closest friends, Patsy Cline, was tragically
killed in a plane crash. Lynn never stopped missing her best friend. She even wrote a
book on their friendship, called Me and Patsy: Kicking Up Dust, and recorded a tribute album.
They were both talented musicians who looked like they were destined for great success
in the music industry. Remembering Cline, Lynn once said,
"We were two bad ones. If she'd still be around, we'd probably both be in the pen."
By the time Lynn met Cline, the latter was already an experienced musician who was happy
to assist Lynn as she got into the industry. They had a lot to talk about: parenthood,
music, and relationships. As Lynn said,
"Patsy was always there to tell me what was right and what was wrong. She was my big sister
that I never had."
The pair had some memorable experiences together, such as the time Cline helped Lynn learn how
to drive a car. She was generous with her outfits, too, letting Lynn borrow her dresses
for public performances.
"She's given me a lot of clothes. That might a been what she was trying to tell me, dress
better."
Sadly, on March 5, 1963, Cline and three others were killed in a plane crash near Camden,
Tennessee. Cline had just performed a benefit concert in Kansas City, Kansas, and was on
her way home to Nashville. She was 30 years old. However, Loretta Lynn never stopped talking
about her best friend. She revealed that Cline was always in her thoughts, noting,
"A lot of times, not even expecting it, but I'll be sitting and thinking and I'll see
Patsy."
Loretta Lynn has previously mentioned that she was addicted to sleeping pills when she
was struggling to cope during a difficult period during the 1970s. According to People,
Lynn's busy, stressful life had led to several health issues, such as blackouts and bleeding
ulcers, making everything even more difficult. Lynn was also having trouble getting enough
sleep and tried to get some respite by turning to sleeping pills. However, she became addicted
and ultimately needed the help of a psychiatrist to get over her addiction.
Not much is known about Lynn's addiction, but it's clear that she was able to beat it
and make a full recovery. Also, the singer wrote in Coal Miner's Daughter that she was
often misunderstood and accused of being hooked on either pain pills or alcohol. She denied
these allegations and stated that she was hurt by the claims. Lynn explained that pain
pills were a necessity, because she had migraine attacks for years and needed something to
be able to function. She wrote,
"I certainly wasn't taking aspirin to get high, I just wanted my headaches to go away.
To tell you the truth, I've always been scared of dope."
Loretta Lynn has faced several setbacks in the past as far as her health is concerned.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the singer had to spend time in the hospital in October
2018 after she experienced some health issues. Additionally, in 2017, she'd suffered a massive
stroke and had injured her hip earlier in 2018. A family member took to Facebook to
announce her October hospitalization, writing,
"I am very sad to report this morning that the Queen of Country Music, Ms. Loretta Lynn
has had some setbacks in her recovery and is back in the hospital with some serious
issues."
The family member asked for prayers from her fans. The family member also said that Lynn
is a fighter who doesn't give up or give in. Thankfully, the singer recovered and was back
home before long. Lynn's health has also been widely discussed by the media, something that
hasn't gone unnoticed. There were rumors flying around in 2019 that she didn't have much time
left and was spending her days at an assisted living center. The singer dismissed this,
captioning in a 2019 Facebook post,
"Well, through the years they've said I'm broke, homeless, cheating, drinking, gone
crazy, terminally ill, and even dead! Poor things can't ever get it right."
"I feel great. I feel so good that I'm ashamed to even say I feel so good."
While Loretta Lynn is no doubt a source of inspiration for many, she does have some regrets
and wishes that she could have done a few things differently in her life. The legend
mentioned in a conversation with The Washington Post that she'd missed out on spending enough
quality time at home with her family, something that bothered her. Her numerous work commitments
meant that she spent a lot of time away from home, which she didn't like. Lynn told The
Post,
"I think I would have preferred to be a housewife and a mama. I never would have had anything,
I know that. But is something everything? I think I would have really enjoyed being
home more."
What made things more complex was her relationship with her late husband Doolittle, who passed
away at the age of 69 in 1996. According to CBS News, Lynn was acutely aware of the fact
that her life was rough, and if she could have been given a second chance, she would
not repeat her past mistakes and wouldn't want to relive her experiences. Loneliness
was a big part of her life. Her daughter, Cissie, noted that her success didn't take
away from one undeniable reality: Lynn was very lonely. Cissie said,
"She lived a lonely life [...] and so did dad. She has had this unbelievable success
but that doesn't make up for lonely. That doesn't make up for coming home one day and
your children are all grown up and married."
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