'Coal Miner's Daughter' Singer Loretta Lynn Dead At 90

Country music legend Loretta Lynn has sadly passed away. She was 90 years old.

In a statement made to the Associated Press, Lynn’s family said that she passed away on Tuesday, October 4, in her home in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.

The “Coal Miner’s Daughter” singer had been touring up until May 2017, until she suffered a stroke that put an end to her touring career (via The Hollywood Reporter).

Lynn leaves behind a long legacy of achievement. Her 1976 memoir had been turned into a 1980 movie called “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” which was directed by Michael Apted. Actress Sissy Spacek, who portrayed the country music legend in the film, won the Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe for her role.

Lynn was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988 and spent six decades creating music for the country music community. She released multiple gold albums and released hits like “You Ain’t Woman Enough,” “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’,” “One’s on the Way” and “Fist City.”

Lynn grew up along with seven siblings in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky, on April 14, 1932. She on to marry Oliver Lynn at the age of 15. The two were married from 1948 to 1996. She had six children: Patsy Lynn, Jack Benny Lynn, Betty Sue Lynn, Ernest Ray Lynn, Cissy Lynn, and Peggy Lynn.

As THR reported, it was her husband who encouraged her to pursue her love of the stage and start singing in Washington clubs. In 1950, Don Grashey of tiny Zero Records arranged for her to sing in Los Angeles. She created the song “I’m A Honky Tonk Girl,” which was inspired by Kitty Wells’ 1952 hit “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonky Angels.”

The song began a hit, and Lynn began touring with the Wilburn Brothers, who provided the backing guitars for the track and even performed at the Grand Ole Opry. In 1961, she was signed to Decca Records and created the first in a long line of top 10 hits.

The family of the late country singer also took to social media to request privacy as they mourned her loss. "Our precious mom, Loretta Lynn, passed away peacefully this morning, October 4th, in her sleep at home at her beloved ranch in Hurricane Mills,” the statement began.

"The family has asked for privacy during this time, as they grieve," the statement continued. "An announcement regarding a memorial will be forthcoming in a public announcement."

Shortly after her passing, many took to social media to pay tribute to the legacy she left behind.

BBN Tonight co-host Anna Maria Tarullo was one of the first to pay tribute, tweeting, "Loretta Lynn had the kind of life and grit that it seemed like she would always be around. Married at 15, a grandma in her 30s, and a career that spanned decades and changed country music. RIP to one of the most legendary Kentuckians — the Coal Miner’s Daughter."

"Pretty Heart" singer Parker McCollum tweeted, "Listening to nothing but Loretta Lynn for the rest of the week. RIP to an absolute icon in country music."

Author Steven Hyden tweeted, "RIP Loretta Lynn. Great songwriter, great singer, and one of the gutsiest and coolest country icons of all-time. Did as much as anyone to drag the genre into a more contemporary age."