Trailblazing Facts About Loretta Lynn, The Coal Miner's Daughter
When Loretta Lynn recorded a passionate cover of the song Stand By Your Man, one thing became very clear: She was standing by one of the worst husbands fate could have thrown her.
1. She Loved Intensely
Country singer Loretta Lynn was not only a hugely successful singer-songwriter, but she was also in some very intense relationships. Her devotion to fellow singer Patsy Cline became the source for a TV movie, but it was her violent and volatile relationship with her husband that really made Hollywood take notice.
Coal Miner’s Daughter, the film about Lynn, became an awards season sweetheart—and it was no surprise, because her true story is just that astonishing.
2. She Was One Of Many
Loretta Lynn was born Loretta Webb in 1932 in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky. She was only the Webb’s second child, but there were lots more coming after her. In fact, by the time they were through, the Webbs had eight children. Lynn’s father managed to barely put enough food on the table by working as a coal miner.
But life for the Webbs was a constant struggle.
3. They Had No Money
There were ten people living in the small family cabin, and winters were excessively cold. With very little money to pay to insulate the walls, Lynn’s mom came up with an imaginative way to keep warm and decorate their humble abode. She glued pages from the Sears catalog to the wall to keep the cold out.
You couldn’t blame young Loretta if she was looking for a way out of that claustrophobic cabin. And soon, a way out appeared out of nowhere.
4. She Started Young
When Loretta was still a teenager, she met Oliver Vanetta Lynn—also known as “Doolittle” or just “Doo”. They met at a “pie social” Loretta quickly fell for him, but according to many, he had a dark side. Everyone thought that Doo was lazy and that he was running moonshine—but for Loretta, it didn’t matter. Even though she was just 15, she married the 21-year-old Doo.
It didn’t take long for Lynn to become pregnant, and for her new husband to announce a big move.
