Introduction:
On this day (June 19) in 2008, Loretta Lynn entered the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The honor came after she had been in the music business for more than four decades and had already released a collection of iconic country songs.
The event took place in the Marriot Marquis Hotel in New York City. That night Lynn entered the Songwriters Hall of Fame with Alan Menken, John Sebastian, Albert Hammond, and Desmond Child. Lynn gave a speech detailing her history in country music. Then, she performed “Coal Miner’s Daughter” and “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ with Lovin’ on Your Mind.”
The house band played “Coal Miner’s Daughter” perfectly. However, Lynn surprised them with the second song. Showing her prowess as a performer as well as a songwriter, Lynn worked through a most acapella rendition of her first No. 1 single.
How Loretta Lynn Earned Her Place in the Songwriters Hall of Fame
Loretta Lynn was the most-awarded woman in country music history. At the same time, she was a member of several halls of fame. Her accolades include the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Country-Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Additionally, her autobiographical hit “Coal Miner’s Daughter” is in the Grammy Hall of Fame. Lynn also has stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Nashville Music City Walk of Fame.
She earned those accolades by tapping into something special with her songwriting. Her songs gave everyday women a voice. Songs like “The Pill,” “One’s on the Way,” “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’” and “You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)” filled a niche that few others approached.
At the same time, Lynn wrote hits. “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin,” “Fist City,” “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” “Rated X,” and many more No. 1 singles came directly from her pen. She wrote four of the 11 singles she sent to the top of the country chart. She also notched 25 top 10 singles. She wrote or co-wrote 11 of those songs.