Loretta Lynn’s Story Goes Broadway in New Musical ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’

Prepare to hear a Coal Miner’s Daughter in the form of a Broadway musical. Recently, reports revealed that Loretta Lynn’s story is coming to the stage as director Sam Gold takes over to develop. The plans are to highlight her arc as one of the first women to cement herself as a country star. It takes Lynn from her stomping grounds in the coal fields of Kentucky to pioneer of country music.

They base the story around Loretta’s autobiography in 1976 and are working hard with the family and her team to try and tell her story correctly. Moreover, they already have their lead in place with Sutton Foster. Apparently, this had been brewing in the background for years, before Lynn even died. So much so, the country legend had already approved of Sutton’s casting.

Loretta Lynn Musical Lands Its Lead for Stage Adaption

Loretta’s family writes a statement, expressing immense gratitude in everyone trying to do right by the country legend’s story.

“We are so grateful to see that our mother’s life story and music will continue to touch the hearts of audiences and remain an important statement of the American dream,” they say. “As one of the last creative projects our mom was so passionate about, we are thankful that she had the opportunity to experience the initial stages of Sutton’s sincere portrayal of Loretta. Mom absolutely fell in love with her and thought she was just the right person to play her onstage. The family is moved by this incredible team’s commitment to her legacy.”

Loretta Lynn’s dynasty as an artist continues to live on in a myriad of different ways. Most notably, her granddaughter Emmy Russell continues her legacy after an impressive stint on American Idol. With a family that’s careful about Loretta’s depiction and a granddaughter who carries on her musical lineage, her legacy will live on for years to come.

Loretta Lynn’s Children Have Carried on Their Mother’s Country Music Legacy

Loretta Lynn’s twins found their own success in country music.

Loretta Lynn famously wed her husband, Oliver “Doolittle” Lynn, when she was a teenager and had multiple children by the time she achieved acclaim as a country singer-songwriter. Overall, she had six children. At one point, the whole family lived together on the family’s ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. Here are some things you might not know about Loretta Lynn’s children.

Patsy Lynn and Peggy Lynn

The youngest of Lynn’s children were twin daughters. Patsy was named after her mother’s close friend and mentor, Patsy Cline. Patsy’s twin sister was named after her mother’s sister, fellow recording artist Peggy Sue Wright.

Perhaps the best known of the Lynn children, Patsy and Peggy followed in their mother’s footsteps and started their own musical group, The Lynns. The sisters received CMA Award nominations for Vocal Duo of the Year in 1998 and 1999, mostly due to their hit song “Woman To Woman.”

The sisters first started singing together in 1996 but wanted to create their own success in Nashville, so they didn’t play up their family connections. They landed a weekly gig at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge on Broadway, which led to a meeting with a record label. Just like their mother and aunt Crystal Gayle, the sisters found success and went on to record a self-titled album with two charting singles.

Patsy Lynn (now Patsy Lynn Russell) co-produced her mother’s 2018 album Wouldn’t It Be Great with another member of country music royalty: the son of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, John Carter Cash.

Clara Marie “Cissie” Lynn 

Cissie got her mother’s musical gene, and her mother has even produced some of her music. She married singer-songwriter John Beams and told Nashville Music Guide that they have stayed busy performing on the road over the years.

“My husband and I traveled with our own bus and band till my Daddy got sick,” Cissie said. “Then I wanted to go home and stay with him. We opened for several superstars over the years, such as Conway, George Jones and Mel McDaniel.”

Ernest Ray “Ernie” Lynn 

Second son Ernie also inherited a musical gift. There are multiple clips of him performing with his country legend mother as well as other relatives.

Betty Sue Lynn

Lynn’s oldest child, Betty Sue passed away in 2013 after a battle with emphysema in Waverly, Tenn. She was buried in the Lynn Family Estate Cemetery and had two daughters, Lynn Markworth and Audrey Dyer.

Jack Benny Lynn

Jack Benny passed away in 1994 at the age of 34. He drowned, trying to cross Duck River on the family’s property.