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Biography

For Loretta Webb, life started in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky, on April 14, 1935. She was the daughter of a coal miner and the second of eight children, and spent her childhood singing in church and local concerts. At age 13, Loretta found herself smitten with 21-year-old Oliver "Mooney" Lynn, who had just returned from his military service.

The couple were married in January 1948 and moved to Custer, Washington shortly thereafter. By the time she reached her 18th birthday, Loretta had already given birth to four children. Consequently, she spent the bulk of the '50s consumed with motherhood. She still loved music though, and continued to sing her own songs in local clubs with her brother's band.

She even taught herself to play the guitar in her spare time. In 1959, Loretta took part in a televised talent show in Tacoma. Standing in the audience was Norm Burley, who immediately signed Loretta to his burgeoning label, Zero Records. In 1960, Loretta cut her first single, "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl." To promote the song, she and her husband traveled cross country, visiting every country radio station they could find to press the DJ into playing her music.

They also sent thousands of copies of the song to radio stations around the country. The independent marketing paid off, and the song went as high as No. 14 on the charts. The Wilburn Brothers, a popular country duo, caught wind of the single and hired Loretta to tour with them.

On March 17, 2007, Berklee College of Music presented Lynn an Honorary Doctorate of Music degree for her contribution to the world of country music. The degree was presented to her on stage at the Grand Ole Opry. On June 19, 2008, Lynn was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in a ceremony in New York City.