The history of country music cannot be told without bringing up the name of a coal miner’s daughter from Butcher Hollow, Kentucky.
Loretta changed what women in country were able to do by releasing controversial, topic-expanding songs like “The Pill”, “Fist City”, and “You Ain’t Woman Enough,” being very willing to take a stand for what she believed in, and having a pretty spontaneous side, like when she married Kid Rock completely out of nowhere…
The legendary career of Loretta took a big step up 61 years ago today, when she stepped on the Grand Old Opry stage for the first time.
She spoke about her first time with The Tennessean a few years back.
“The first memory I have of the Grand Old Opry, we went out to sing, and I remember patting my foot and that was it.
I don’t remember even singing. I was so excited, I don’t remember singing but I remember patting my foot, isn’t that weird?”
I can’t find any video of the foot patting, but I’m sure the singing was pretty dang good too, because soon after her debut Loretta would set an Opry record by appearing on 17 straight shows.
And just two years after her debut, she would officially be inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Loretta Lynn was a true trailblazer who allowed women to be themselves more fully in Country Music, and thank goodness for that.
