Loretta Lynn 1932-2022

Very sad news that Loretta Lynn passed away at the age of 90. I met the lady one time and she was wonderful. She was the definition of the word classy.

When I was eight years old, my mom took me to Loretta Lynn’s ranch. I actually had breakfast with Loretta Lynn. My mom knew someone who knew her… we were at her Ranch that was just opened 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.

She was one of the nicest human beings I’ve ever met. Even though I was young, she didn’t talk down to me…she talked to me. It was a wonderful experience and even I knew at that age it was special…that this didn’t happen all of the time.

She wrote about real-life situations with women during her career. Her songwriting was honest and pure.

It saddens me that she just passed away. She is up there with Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, and a host of other country legends. I was happy back in 2004 when Jack White of the White Stripes produced her album Van Lear Rose.

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 Coal mines 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 snubbed “Van Lear Rose,” and the album received no CMA Awards nominations but it still reached #2 on the country charts and #24 on the Billboard 200. Lynn notched five Grammy nominations for her new music. In February 2005, she and White won Grammy awards for best country album and best country collaboration.

The album is great and this is the song that I liked best. If modern country music was this…I would actually listen! As I type this…I get mad all over again by the way country radio treated this album.

Van Lear Rose

One of my fondest memories
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 Rose

Oh 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

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

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

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

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

67 thoughts on “Loretta Lynn 1932-2022”

      2. She sufferered a stroke a few years ago in 2017…I’m sure that didn’t help…plus the fact she was 90.

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      10. I was toying with the idea of September 1st but, since my dad passed Aug. 25 and I am up to my eyeballs in the estate stuff. I spent most of yesterday moving furniture. Two days ago, I was moving stuff to our big, county recycling station. This place handles hazardous waste.

        Two days prior to that, I was taking multiple truck loads of clothing, shoes & food to Goodwill. My dad’s kitchen cabinets looked like a home-built food bank. I guess he was afraid he might starve to death? 😳

        I am also embarrassed, as was my uncle, at my dad’s porn collection. He even had old 8mm tapes! 😝😵‍💫🤢

        Blogging is not really in my head right now.

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      11. Ok…I jsut wondered…HEY… he wouldn’t be the first or won’t be the last! Guys are guys…we are nasty little pigs lol.
        I hope you show up in my reader when you do… I don’t think you did last time.
        I didn’t know you were still dealing with it…have they cleaned it out yet?

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      12. According to my uncle, hospice people are showing up, today, to take useful stuff. He is in negotiations with two different property buyers.

        This will take a while. Projections of estate closure are Dec. 23. That is a suggestion by an attorney. My buddy Ray is attempting to purchase my dad’s car but, we found out that a title was never printed for my dad. DMV screwed that up. I am all too familiar with that bunch in Raleigh. I worked for two different units in DMV. Bureaucracy breeds buffoons. So…car on hold until DMV can find a person on the inside with a functioning brain. 🤨🤔😠😡🤬

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      14. Yep. That was another issue. In July of last year, NC changed “will” laws. Handwritten wills are no longer acceptable. My uncle somehow worked with the attorney to “grandfather” it. The estate is 50/50 with me & my step-sister. My dad made my uncle (younger brother) Executor. He said it is a “heavy hat” to wear. Selling anything out of the estate would only work him to death with a 1000 paper cuts. Paper documentation would have to be out on each individual piece/sale. 🙄🧐☹️😖🤬

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      15. It’s a mess when people don’t leave them that is for sure.
        I hope it ends quicker than sooner…I know it’s a mess…it’s not enough that you have to go through losing someone but then you have all of this.

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  2. Very sad news, but great that you got to meet her. What did she serve you for breakfast? I am not a big fan of country music but there are a lot of artists that I like, so on January 22, 2023, the theme for Song Lyric Sunday is going to be Country Music.

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  5. Wow, Max, what an amazing story that you met Loretta Lynn. Somewhat shamefully I have to admit other than the name and that she was a country star, I didn’t know anything about her. Based on a few stories I read, it sounds like she was a truly courageous and remarkable lady. And evidently very kind and down to earth, as your experience illustrates!

    While her music sounded like pretty traditional country, her lyrics certainly were not – I mean, wow, she really sang her mind, based on some lyrics I’ve seen. And let’s be honest here, the country world, at least traditionally, is a good ole’ white boys club. The fact she made it anyway is just another indication of how strong she must have been.

    Well, I guess I got some homework to do! It’s unfortunate it sometimes takes a music artist to die before they make it on your radar screen!

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    1. I missed your reply on this Christian! She did a lot for women in music. The biggest thing is she wrote most all of her songs…which is incredible.
      Her and Dolly Parton has done a lot of things together also. Her work with Jack White was incredible.

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  7. sad news even if she was 90, may she rest in peace. It’s incredible you got to have a meal with her , what a nice memory. sounded like a very good person. I don’t know a whole lot of her music but I do like some of the songs I can name like ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ and ‘The Pill’.

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    1. I do like the new album that Jack White produced…Loretta wrote everything… country radio at the time didnt’ think much of White being involved but it hit on the pop charts. She probably made a bundle with that album….but more important…it was good.

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  11. “Van Lear Rose” was quite the comeback. I especially like that Portland song. Very sad news today for sure. Now what true old school country legends are left? Willie, Dolly, maybe Kristofferson and Coe, that’s about it I think. She did seem like a classy lady. Somewhat off topic but the “Ghost Adventures” episode at her estate is worth checking out.

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    1. Thanks I’ll check the Ghost Adventures episode out. We traveled to her ranch around 5 years ago just to visit…not much has changed since I was there.

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    1. Oh I love that title also! I’m going to break my own rule and post about her tomorrow. I never do two days in a row on someone…but she is worth it.

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    1. It’s something I won’t forget. I spent last night listening to the Van Lear Rose album…they did a great job on that album.

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      2. I’m posting another song on Saturday from that album… it’s all I’ve been listening to right now.

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  17. Having breakfast with Loretta Lynn, it doesn’t get any better than that. I’m sure you have carried that moment with you always. I liked Van Lear Rose. It wasn’t hardcore Nashville and probably the reason it didn’t receive a nomination. The Nashville boys are still as intolerant as they were back when Chet ran the show. Hands down, she was the Queen of country music and always will be.

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    1. It was something I won’t forget Phil. Yea the thing about Nashville is…country music here eats their own in many ways. Like you said it was probably because of Jack White and his production. I agree totally.

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  19. Beautiful write-up on Loretta and for the information on her connection with Jack White. I remember you sharing about having breakfast as her place before. How endearing and special to be one of the chosen by her ❤

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