The world just isn’t the same without Loretta Lynn.
She sadly passed away last Tuesday morning at her home in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, at the age of 90, and at the CMT Artists of the Year special, her sisters Crystal Gayle and Peggy Sue Wright honored her with a performance of her signature song “Coal Miner’s Daughter.”
Crystal poignantly noted that, while the country music community, and the entire world, really, is mourning the loss of the icon, they’re mourning the loss of their beloved sister:
“You know, the world lost a legend. We lost a sister.
And as I look out into the audience, I see so many faces that my considered friends. And in her words, ‘Love you, honey.’
And we’re gonna try to sing a song, and I know you know the words, if you feel like singing along, go right ahead.”
Of course, “Coal Miner’s Daughter” is Loretta’s most well-known song and was released as a single in 1970, when it shot to the top spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
It became the title track to her 1971 album of the same name, as well as the title to the 1980 Oscar-winning movie about her life.
While it’s still hard to believe she’s really gone, and there will certainly never be another one like her, it’s so sweet to see her sisters on stage singing this and paying tribute to her.
If anyone feels those lyrics and could understand exactly what Loretta was singin’ about, it’s these two:
“Coal Miner’s Daughter”