Loretta Lynn, an icon in country music, died today (October 4) at her home in Tennessee. She was 90 years old.
A statement from Lynn’s family shared with Uproxx reads, “Our precious mom, Loretta Lynn, passed away peacefully this morning, October 4th, in her sleep at home at her beloved ranch in Hurricane Mills.” It also notes that Lynn’s family “asked for privacy during this time, as they grieve,” and that a public announcement regarding a memorial is forthcoming.
All in all, Lynn’s career spanned over 60 years. During that run, she was nominated for 18 Grammys and won three of them. She also had eight albums certified Gold by the RIAA. Her best-known songs include “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” “Fist City,” and “Don’t Come Home A Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ On Your Mind).” A 1980 movie based on her life, Coal Miner’s Daughter, was also a success, winning an Academy Award and some Golden Globe awards. It was later preserved in the National Film Registry by the Library Of Congress.
Lynn was born on April 14, 1932 in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky, and started singing in local clubs in the late 1950s. Her recording career got off to a strong start: Her debut album, 1963’s Loretta Lynn Sings, peaked at No. 2 on the US country chart. Her first album to top that chart was 1966’s You Ain’t Woman Enough, which was also her first release to appear on the Billboard Top LPs chart.
She maintained a high level of success in subsequent decades, with albums appearing at or near the top of the country charts in the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. The final years of her career were prosperous, too: In 2004, she released Van Lear Rose, a Jack White-produced album that was critically praised and won a Grammy for Best Country Album. The final album released during her lifetime was 2021’s Still Woman Enough, which was the fourth in a series of five planned albums.
