Born on this day ninety years ago: earthy and defiant American singer-songwriter, Coal Miner’s Daughter made good, Crisco spokeswoman and one of the undisputed divas of Country & Western music, Miss Loretta Lynn (néeWebb, 14 April 1932). My favourite songs of Lynn’s will always be “Fist City”, “Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ (with Lovin’ on Your Mind)” and “You Ain’t Woman Enough (to Take My Man).”
To my shame, this is a day late, but it’s too significant not to commemorate! Yesterday represented the 80th birthday of the undisputed “First Lady of Country Music” with the big hair and the heartbroken throb in her voice, Miss Tammy Wynette (born Virginia Wynette Pugh; 5 May 1942 – 6 April 1998). The Nashville Nefertiti’s music was like an aural backdrop to my 1970s childhood in rural Quebec. My favourite Wynette songs: “D-I-V-O-R-C-E”, “I Don’t Wanna Play House” and particularly “Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad.” Which reminds me: I really need to read the biography Tammy Wynette: Tragic Country Queen by Jimmy McDonough.