Loretta Lynn: Coal Miner's Daughter by Loretta Lynn

Author:Loretta Lynn [Lynn, Loretta]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Genres & Styles, United States, Country & Bluegrass, Entertainment & Performing Arts, Music, General, Biography & Autobiography, Composers & Musicians, Biography, Women, Country musicians
ISBN: 0307741230
Amazon: 0307741230
Publisher: Vintage
Published: 2010-09-21T00:00:00+00:00

16

Music City, U.S.A.

I’ll dress up like a movie star,

And purty up my hair

And no one here is gonna know,

What I’ll be doing there.…

—“Hey, Loretta,” by Shel Silverstein

That experience with the redhead taught us to be more careful about our contacts, but it didn’t stop us from trying to make it in Nashville. I guess I went at it like a bull in a china shop, the same way I am about everything—all energy. I’d be on people’s doorsteps at eight in the morning, holding copies of my first record and of new songs I’d written.

People started calling me “Colonel Parker” because that was the name of the man who promoted Elvis Presley. Well, I was no Colonel Parker, but I sure could have used one. I was wearing a ninety-nine cent dress from the Salvation Army, and me and Doolittle spent more than one night sleeping in the car to save money.

I went over to the Opry and pestered Ott Devine, the manager, until he let me on the show. My first appearance was on October 15, 1960; the Opry paid guests fifteen dollars in those days, and we were sure glad to have the money.

I was nervous when they took me backstage. It was kind of crowded and informal, with all sorts of people hanging around. You’d see some picker you never heard of standing right next to some great star like Roy Acuff. It seemed disorganized, but it was a radio show and only the studio audience could see people milling around backstage. On the radio, it was the most exciting thing in the world to hear. In person, you’d see those people, how exhausted they were from driving all day. But they’d come alive if they liked you. I sang, “Honky Tonk Girl” and they really cheered me, and Ott Devine invited me back again.

Somebody hinted that when you went on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry you should wear high-heeled shoes and look a little more stylish. But I was used to low-heeled boots, and didn’t want to look too fancy.

Out of those first Opry appearances, I got an invitation to tour Alaska with Johnny Horton. Before I could, he was on his way back to Nashville when he got killed in a car wreck. Then they talked about matching me with Jim Reeves, but he, too, died before we got together.

Me and Doo realized that we needed good advice if we were going to make it. We decided to try the Wilburn Brothers, who were a big act in country music at that time. I met them once before when I asked for their autographs. Now I looked ’em up and asked what they could do for me.

Of course, I already had my first record on the charts and was on my way to being included in the “Most Promising Female Singer” category, so they didn’t have anything to do with that, or getting me on the Opry. Plus, I was already considered for a television show, which later turned out to be their show.

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