Jack White of the White Stripes is a huge fan of Loretta Lynn. The White Stripes dedicated their 2001 album, ”White Blood Cells,” to her and invited her to share a bill with them at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan.
Jack White produced her album “Van Lear Rose” and he asked Loretta to write all 13 songs for the album. The title refers to the Van Lear Coalmines from her youth. White said he would have been happy just to play tambourine on the album as long as he got to work with her.
Country radio ignored it but the album reached #2 on the country charts and #24 in the Billboard 200. The album is great and this is the song that I liked best.
The album was released to glowing reviews and near universal acclaim. It received a rating of 97 at Metacritic.com, the joint-second highest score and the highest for a female to date
Personal Story about Loretta Lynn
I barely remember it but I actually had breakfast with Loretta Lynn. I was only 8 years old. My mom knew someone who knew her… we were at her Ranch that was just open to the public. She saw us and pointed and said “come in here” and we sat at the table and ate with her. She was very nice. She kept asking if I needed anything and if I was having a good time. Honestly its a blur to me now but I do remember that part…very classy and nice lady.
Van Lear Rose
Was sittin’ on my daddy’s knee
Listenin’ to the stories that he told
He’d pull out that old photograph
Like a treasured memory from the past
And say child
This here’s the Van Lear RoseOh how it would bring a smile
When he talked about her big blue eyes
And how her beauty ran down to her soul
She’d walk across the coal miner’s yard
Them miner’s would yell loud and hard
and they’d dream of who would hold
The Van Lear Rose[Chorus:]
She was the belle of Johnson County
Ohio river to Big Sandy
A beauty to behold like a diamond in the coal
All the miner’s they would gather ’round
Talk about the man that came to town
Right under their nose
Stole the heart of the Van Lear Rose
Now the Van Lear Rose could’ve had her pick
And all the fellers figured rich
Until this poor boy caught her eye
His buddies would all laugh and say
Your dreamin’ boy she’ll never look your way
You’ll never ever hold the Van Lear Rose
[Chorus]
Then one night in mid July
Underneath that ol’ blue Kentucky sky
Well, that poor boy won that beauty’s heart
Then my daddy would look at my mommy and smile
As he brushed the hair back from my eyes and he’d say
Your mama
She’s the Van Lear Rose
[Chorus]
Right under their nose
Stole the heart of the Van Lear Rose
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Nice that you got to meet her and she was so gracious. Good story! I’d never heard this one, but it sounds quite good
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The whole album is very good. You have the rawness of Jack White with her voice…really good.
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I’m surprised she went along with some of it. Part of it was rock.
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I don’t think she cared. Country radio ignored her anyway…they do all of the older ones.
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And rock radio ignores anything new by older artists. They still play the old stuff but won’t play the new.
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New rock radio doesn’t exist anymore…it’s more like classic radio
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