Gaston woman recalls lifelong friendship with Loretta Lynn

Country music fans mourned the death of icon Loretta Lynn last week, but for one Gaston County woman the passing of the self-proclaimed coal miner's daughter meant the loss of a friend.

"Everybody loved the dressed up Loretta Lynn who performed. The person I cared about more was the person who stepped onto the tour bus and said, 'Help get me this hot dress off,' and she would just put on her night shirt or pajamas. That was the real Loretta Lynn," said Mount Holly resident Phyllis Jones.

Jones, 78, first met the country music singer in 1964 when she was just starting out. Lynn was traveling with the Wilburn Brothers, a popular country music duo and her brother was dating a friend of Jones.

"We just hit it off right from the start. She's a big cut-up and I am too," Jones said. "We enjoyed each other's company."

Jones spent 31 years with the former telephone company BellSouth, starting as a switchboard operator in the 1960s and retiring in 2000. She didn't just watch her friend's career take off from a distance, Lynn and Jones were close and would visit each other's homes.

Jones would travel to nearby shows of the country music star. Other times Lynn took Jones out on tour with her.

"She was different and people liked to hear her songs because they related to their lives," Jones said. "A lot of women had cheating husbands or husbands that drank too much."

As Lynn's star rose, it did not go to her head, Jones said. She remained the same woman that could make people feel like she was simply the daughter of a coal miner. Lynn cared about her fans and required her entourage be nice to them. She would always stick around after her shows to meet the audience and sign autographs.

On one visit to Gaston County, Lynn stayed over Saturday night and when Sunday morning came went to church with Jones at Beech Avenue Baptist Church, where Jones' son, Jeff Cook, serves as pastor. Jones was playing the piano for Sunday services, but Lynn refused to go in the sanctuary.

Women of Lynn's age just didn't wear pants to church, and that was all she had to wear. So Lynn remained in the nursery during services.

Remembering Loretta Lynn:Tanya Tucker, Faith Hill, more country stars remember Loretta Lynn: 'A national treasure'

Loretta Lynn comes to Shelby:Concert official: Loretta Lynn’s performance part of county’s growth

"The whole congregation came down to the nursery and had their picture taken with her," Jones said.

The two women's friendship lasted almost 60 years, through visits and phone conversations. Jones will miss her friend, but believes she's now in a better place.

"She had been suffering so much and she had begged Jesus to come get her," Jones said. "It makes me feel good to know she's not suffering."

Lynn died Oct. 4, 2022, at age 90. A memorial service will take place Oct. 30 in Nashville, Tennessee, at the Grand Ole Opry. Jones will be there, she said, to say her final goodbye.

Of all the songs Lynn sang, Jones says her most iconic, "Coal Miner's Daughter," remains her favorite.

"I love that song because it was true to her upbringing," she said.

You can reach Kevin Ellis at 704-201-7016 or email him at Kellis@GastonGazette.com. Support local journalism by subscribing here.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: My friend Loretta Lynn: Gaston woman recalls lifelong friendship