Country music stars and fans are mourning the death of one of its biggest icons, Loretta Lynn. The singer passed away aged 90.
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In a statement provided to The Associated Press, her family said she died Tuesday at her home in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.
She was considered a country music queen, and her songs about love and being a woman of rural America in the 1950s and 1960s changed the way women were perceived within the country music industry and genre.
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Her incredible life story was told in the 1980 film Coal Miner's Daughter, named after her hit 1971 song of the same name, in which she sings: "Well, I was borned a coal miner's daughter. In a cabin, on a hill in Butcher Holler. We were poor but we had love."
Her family's statement read: "Our precious mom, Loretta Lynn, passed away peacefully this morning, October 4th, in her sleep at home in her beloved ranch in Hurricane Mills."
Asking for privacy as they mourn her passing, they said her memorial would be announced later on.
© Photo: Getty ImagesSome of her hit songs included Coal Miner's Daughter, You Ain't Woman Enough, and I'm a Honky Tonk Girl
Loretta was famously married to Oliver Lynn from 1948 until he died in 1996, having married when they were 16 and 22, respectively, and their tumultuous relationship was documented in both her songs as well as in the film about her life, in which she was portrayed by Sissy Spacek and her husband by Tommy Lee Jones.
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They had six children, Patsy, Jack Benny, Betty Sue, Ernest Ray, Cissy, and Peggy Lynn.
© Photo: Getty ImagesLoretta's songs about love and her relationship with her husband were groundbreaking at the time
Country music stars such as Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood were quick to pay tribute, taking to Instgram to honor her life. Carrie looked back on the first time she met Loretta, writing: "The first time I met Loretta Lynn was at the Grand Ole Opry at beginning of my career. I was chatting in the corner with another artist and someone walked behind me and smacked me on the rear end!"
She added: "She was a cantankerous little pistol…friendly and sweet…never afraid to be herself and speak her mind," and said that: "She is irreplaceable. She will be incredibly missed…but her legacy lives on in those of us whom she has influenced."
The singer said of Loretta: "Her legacy lives on in those of us whom she has influenced"
Miranda also paid tribute via Instgram, sharing several photo of the two together from the early stages of her career, and thanked her for paving the way for women in country music.
Loretta's work had a massive influence on women in country music
She said: "I'm so heartbroken to hear about Loretta’s passing. She was so kind to me and she blazed so many trails for all of us girls in country music. Thanks you for all the songs . Miss you. Fly high."
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