Country music pioneer Loretta Lynn has died at the age of 90. Her family confirmed her death with a statement.
“Our precious mom, Loretta Lynn, passed away peacefully this morning, October 4th, in her sleep at home in her beloved ranch in Hurricane Mills,” the family said in a statement, per The Associated Press.
Growing up in the depths of poverty in Butcher Holler, Kentucky, Lynn was raised amongst seven other children in the midst of the Great Depression. Born a true coal miner’s daughter, she would eventually pack everything up and leave home at the age of 15, where she went on to live with her husband Oliver Lynn in Washington.
The Grammy-winner released her debut album, Loretta Lynn Sings, in 1963. Throughout her illustrious career, she penned hits such as “I’m A Honky Tonk Girl,” “You Ain’t Woman Enough,” “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind),” “What Kind of a Girl (Do You Think I Am?),” “Fist City,” and “Your Squaw Is on the Warpath.” Other hallmark tracks include 1965’s “Blue Kentucky Girl” and the 1970 No. 1 single “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” Her notable work with fellow legend Conway Twitty spurred over a dozen top country hits.
Lynn was known for her tough, no-nonsense attitude yet potent and tender singing ability. Her impeccable songwriting quickly established her as one of the very few women’s voices in country music at a time when it was even more male-dominated. She did not shy aware from controversial topics, especially relating to women’s rights, divorce, infidelity, and sex. In 1975, her song “The Pill” was banned by many country stations for its pro-birth control stance.
In 1976, she released the memoir, Coal Miner’s Daughter, which Michael Apte turned into an Oscar-winning film starring Sissy Spacek. Lynn would go on to release music up until 2021, marking her forty-sixth studio album with Still Woman Enough.