The other day I was asked, when am I going to feature more country music in my blog? Well, today is one of those days. One of my favorite country songs is the title track to today’s albums, “Coal Miner’s Daughter” by Loretta Lynn. Like many people, I was first introduced to this song by the outstanding 1980 biopic film starring Sissy Spacek, who gave an incredible performance of Loretta. This album is #440 on Rolling Stone’s Top 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and perhaps more notably, is the #4 rated album on tasteofcountry.com’s Top 10 Country Albums of All Time.
Living on the edge of Appalachia for the past four years has given me a greater appreciation for the rough and challenging life Loretta Lynn and so many like her were born into, coming from the hills of Kentucky. Her story of perseverance and grace through many life challenges is a remarkable one, and she is one of the all-time living legends of country music. This album is classic country music in its purest form. Beyond the legendary title track, this album is full of classic country tracks that are dominated by the steel guitar and Loretta’s graceful, rural-tinted voice. I particularly liked “Less of Me”, and the melancholy ballad “For The Good Times”, and the defiant “don’t take my man” anthem, “The Man Of The House”. These songs quickly transport me to a simpler version of country America, with a wide network of small-town radio stations, and two-lane highways connecting the cities of America into one connected chain of country-music loving, hard working-class people.
I don’t think there are many artists with more universal respect and appreciation than Loretta Lynn, particularly within the domain of country music, and as you listen to this album, you easily understand why.
A Lifetime-Plus of Music 