Loretta Lynn: A timeline of her life and accomplishments
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A "Coal Miner's Daughter" born in Van Lear, Ky., Loretta Lynn became the most culturally significant female singer-songwriter in country music history. We look at a timeline of her life and accomplishments at the announcement of her death on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022.
April 14, 1932: Loretta Webb is born near Van Lear, Ky., the second of eight children born to Melvin “Ted” Webb and Clara Marie Webb.
1948: She marries Oliver Lynn, alternately known as “Doolittle,” “Doo” or “Mooney.” The newlyweds soon move to Custer, Wash.
1960: By now, Lynn has given birth to four children (she would later have two more) and has begun writing songs. Her first, “I’m a Honky Tonk Girl,” which was written in 20 minutes, is released on Zero Records and hits No. 14 on the Billboard country music singles chart. Lynn and her husband travel across the country pushing the song to radio stations, and when they reach Nashville, Lynn begins singing on demo recordings for Teddy and Doyle Wilburn’s publishing company. The Wilburns would become crucial early supporters in Lynn’s career, mentoring her and negotiating a recording session for her with Decca Records’ Owen Bradley.
1962: “Success,” released on Decca Records, becomes Lynn’s first top 10 hit.
1964: It’s a big year for Lynn, as she scores three top 20 hits: “Wine, Women and Song,” “Happy Birthday” and the Ernest Tubb duet “Mr. and Mrs. Used To Be.”
More:Loretta Lynn on the time Ernest Tubb gave up his Grand Ole Opry spot for her
1965: “Blue Kentucky Girl” hits the top 10. The song would later become the title track of a classic Emmylou Harris album.
1966: Lynn releases her first No. 1 country hit: “Don’t Come Home A Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)."
1967: Lynn wins top female vocalist at the first CMA Awards show.
1970: She releases her signature song, the wholly autobiographical “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” The song would become the title of an autobiography and of a movie.
More:'Coal Miner's Daughter' biopic brought Loretta Lynn's story to silver screen
1971: Lynn begins a successful string of collaborations with Conway Twitty. The pair would score 12 top 10 country hits, including five consecutive No. 1s. Also in 1971, Lynn wins her first of four Academy of Country Music female vocalist of the year awards.
1972: Lynn’s controversial “Rated ‘X,'” about the plight of divorced women, tops the chart. Early in the year, Lynn and Twitty win a Grammy for best country vocal performance by a duo or group, for “After the Fire Is Gone.” Late in the year, she becomes the first female Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year.
1975: “The Pill” becomes a top 10 country hit. It might have done better than that, had some radio stations not banned it for what was deemed risque subject matter. At the CMA Awards, Lynn and Twitty win their fourth consecutive duo of the year prize.
1976: “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” an autobiography written with George Vecsey, is issued.
1977: Lynn’s "Out of My Head and Back in My Bed" becomes her last No. 1 country hit.
1980: “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” a movie based on the life of Loretta Lynn, is released. Sissy Spacek, who plays Loretta, wins an Academy Award for best actress for her role.
1988: Lynn is inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. She releases “Who Was That Stranger,” her last solo album for a major label until 2004.
1993: She takes part in the “Honky Tonk Angels” album, with Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette. The album spawns no hit singles but peaks in the top 10 of the country albums charts and wins “gold” certification for sales and shipments of more than 500,000.
1996: Mooney Lynn dies.
2000: Lynn releases “Still Country” on the Audium label.
2002: She releases her second autobiography, “Still Woman Enough,” written with Patsi Bale Cox.
2004: Lynn returns to prominence with “Van Lear Rose,” an album recorded in East Nashville and produced by Jack White of The White Stripes. Rolling Stone votes “Van Lear Rose” the second best in any genre in 2004, and in early 2005 “Van Lear Rose” wins the Best Country Album Grammy. In addition, Lynn and White’s “Portland, Oregon” duet wins the Grammy for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals.
2010: Recording artists including Lee Ann Womack, The White Stripes, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Paramore, Lucinda Williams, Carrie Underwood and Reba McEntire contribute to “Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Tribute To Loretta Lynn.” Lynn sings her signature hit with Sheryl Crow and Miranda Lambert.
2011: Lynn, Crow and Lambert are nominated for an Academy of Country Music Award for their new version of “Coal Miner’s Daughter.”
2016: Lynn releases "Full Circle," her first album of new material in 12 years. It is nominated for the Best Country Album Grammy Award.
2017: Lynn celebrates her 85th birthday by playing two sold-out concerts at the Ryman Auditorium. Just weeks later, she has a stroke. In August, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum opens its "Loretta Lynn: Blue Kentucky Girl" exhibit.
More:Loretta Lynn gets her own statue outside Ryman Auditorium
2017: Lynn inducts Alan Jackson into the Country Music Hall of Fame, leading a rendition of "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" alongside Connie Smith and Alan Jackson.
2018: Lynn receives the CMT "Artist of a Lifetime" honor.
2019: At one of Lynn's last major public appearances, artists and appreciators gathered inside Bridgestone Arena for a celebration of singer-songwriter unlike any before it. White, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Alan Jackson, Brandi Carlile, Kasey Musgraves, Tanya Tucker and Keith Urban were among those who took the stage in salute to Lynn's generation-crossing impact.
2020: Lynn released "Me & Patsy Kickin' Up Dust," a book chronicling her friendship with Patsy Cline.
2021: "Still Woman Enough," the final album from Lynn, debuts with collaborations from Carrie Underwood, Tanya Tucker, Margo Price and Reba McEntire.
2022: Lynn dies on Oct. 4, 2022, at her ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.
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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Loretta Lynn: A timeline of her life and accomplishments
