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Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire and Carrie Underwood paid tribute to late country music legend Loretta Lynn with a beautiful performance at the 56th annual CMA Awards on Wednesday evening (November 9). Lynn, known for pushing boundaries with her music and blazing trails for other female artists in the genre, died last month at her ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. She was 90.
Underwood, McEntire and Lambert came together as a trio to perform some of Lynn’s most iconic songs throughout her career, including “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” with snapshots of Lynn appearing in the massive screen behind them. Lynn’s family confirmed her death in a statement on October 4. The “Coal Miner’s Daughter” legend “passed away peacefully...in her sleep at home” that morning, the family said. Lynn, who celebrated her 90th birthday earlier this year, was born on April 14, 1932 in Butcher Holler, Kentucky. The self-taught singer and guitar player landed her first recording contract in 1960 and went on to release “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” “The Pill,” “”Don’t Come Home A- Drinkin,” “You Ain’t Woman Enough,” “Fist City” and other unforgettable songs over her decades-long career. Lynn also debuted the 13-track project Still Woman Enough in 2021, which included the title track featuring McEntire and Underwood.
McEntire, Underwood, Lambert and many others took part in an outpouring of tributes to Lynn after the family confirmed her death last month. McEntire shared her appreciation for Lynn “paving the rough and rocky road for all us girl singers.” Lambert said “she was so kind to me and she blazed so many trails for all of us girls in country music.” Underwood, sharing one of her favorite stories of meeting Lynn, thanked her “for showing us how it’s done.”
Lynn’s memorial service, Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Celebration Of The Life & Music of Loretta Lynn, was hosted at the Grand Ole Opry on October 30. The ceremony — which aired on CMT and will be available to stream on Paramount+ early next year — included stunning performances by The Highwomen, Brandi Carlile, Keith Urban, Margo Price, Jack White, Little Big Town, Alan Jackson, Darius Rucker, Tanya Tucker, Keith Urban, Lynn’s granddaughter Emmy Russell (with Willie Nelson’s son, Lukas Nelson) and more.
“To my friends, thank you for giving me such a great life. I have never taken it or you for granted,” Lynn said in a pre-recorded message. “…I could never repay you for the life and the love that you've given to me. Thank you. I've traveled all over the world, but I never got to see much, that is, except for you – my fans, my friends. I want you to know that I saw and remember every one of you. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”