Blue Kentucky Girl

Standing in front of Miss Lo's bus.

"I swear I love you by the moon above you
How bright is it shinin' in your world
Some mornings when you wake up all alone
Just come on home to your blue Kentucky girl."

-Loretta Lynn

"Blue Kentucky Girl" (1965)

"I'm not the Queen of Country Music, that's Kitty Wells," Loretta Lynn stated on stage during her October 9th concert at Renfro Valley, Kentucky.  The hundreds of people who waited outside her tour bus just to catch a glimpse of her and the thousands more who were present for the concert would probably dispute her modest comment.  It was her second show of the week at the country music capital of Kentucky and a blue grass carpet was laid out for Lady Loretta in every corner of town.  Her records were front and center in all the shops around the venue and the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame--located directly down the road, offered fans many items available to buy and was even showing Lynn's autobiographical film "Coal Miner's Daughter" on their gift shop television.  Attendees of all ages were in store for a concert that they wouldn't soon forget.

Lynn is celebrating her fiftieth anniversary in the country music industry and many events are taking place this year in honor of this living wonder, including an all-star salute at the Ryman Auditorium set to occur this week.  Her humble beginnings, witty ways of writing about real hardships, and gentle manner make her all-the-more relatable to people from all walks of life and backgrounds.  Loretta's down-home accent and humor makes her followers feel as though she's an ordinary person they could take home to share some chicken and dumplins' with and talk to for hours.  Sometimes one has to be reminded that this gal from Butcher Holler is anything but ordinary; she's the most awarded lady in country music history. 

Waiting for their lady to emerge from her bus.

Lynn has recorded over a hundred albums in her career and was the first female to become Entertainer of the Year at the CMA's.  Her awards are endless: artist of the decade, vocalist of the year for most of the 1970's, numerous for her work with partner Conway Twitty, album of the year...the list could continue for ages.  She charted sixteen number one hits and has had over fifty top-ten hits in her career span.  She wrote a best-selling book which later turned into an applauded, award winning movie and paved the way for female country singers in decades to come.  More recently in 2004 she was back in the spotlight with a new cd entitled 'Van Lear Rose' which won two Grammy Awards, including best country record of the year.  And still--even with this background, she continues to come across as the country girl next door when she puts on a show. This attitude was forever present on this Saturday night, hour and a half long concert.

 Daughter, Patsy Lynn, came out first to tell the audience about merchandise they could purchase and then sang two songs, "Oh Lonesome Me" and one by her namesake "Walkin' After Midnight".  Then Lynn's band The Coal Miner's and son, Ernest Ray, introduced the 'Decca Doll' and she appeared in a sparkling pink dress regal enough for the queen she is.  She performed three or four songs before taking a break to speak to the crowd and thank them for coming out to see her.  Lynn then directed the audience to "Just shout out what you want to hear.  This is your show and you paid for it, I just snuck in the back way."  With the conglomeration of titles ringing through the air, Loretta managed to hear a request for her hit "One's on the Way".  "One is not on the way," she replied, feigning hurt, "I just gained weight." 

Lighthearted banter such as this continued throughout the night as Ms. Lynn told stories about her songs, life, and upcoming tribute album featuring the likes of Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Paramore's Hayley Williams and even Kid Rock.  She told a story of Garth Brooks calling up her and asking to sing with her at the upcoming salute at the Ryman. Lynn said he asked to sing her and Twitty's hit, "After the Fire is Gone" and she proceeded to sing a verse of it a cappella.  Even though it was brief, it was still a treat to hear it since she hadn't performed it live in so long.  She said that Garth had told her something about pronouncing "fire" correctly instead of her usual thick accented "far".  She got cheers and yells from the audience upon saying that, "Fire might be how you say it where you're from, but where I'm from it's 'far'."



Photo taken by Bill Hoover. Thanks so much for allowing
me to use it.



 Ernest Ray and "Mama" joked throughout the night as Loretta threatened to hit him with her microphone and ordered him to get back on his X.  Later, Ernie sang a couple of songs on his own and then joined Loretta to sing her and Ernest Tubb's classic "Sweet Thang".  After his verse was over it was her turn to belt out the famously loud lines of "Welllllllllllllll, has anyone here seen sweet thang?"  Ernie backed away and covered his ears.  The next time this same line was to be sang, Loretta did so very quietly to surprise her son, who had braced his ears for the yell.  She started laughing so hard she had to stop singing and the crowd got a real kick out of it.

Having a history of back pains and problems, Lynn is known more recently to sit during most performances but only did so for a few moments when her backup singers did a couple of songs and then when a video was shown celebrating her fifty years in music.  Otherwise, she was full of life and spunk when singing hits such as "You Ain't Woman Enough" and "Fist City".  Later, flowers were bestowed to Loretta for her achievements in music and a crown was placed upon her head for being 'The Queen of Country Music' and she was awarded a standing ovation.  It wasn't too much longer until she sang her signature "Coal Miner's Daughter" and closed the show as young and old mouthed along her life story of growing up poor and being proud of her roots.

Set list (in no particular order):

1.) Blue Kentucky Girl

2.) Here I am Again

3.) Coal Miner's Daughter

4.) Dear Uncle Sam

5.) Don't Come Home A'Drinkin (With Lovin' on Your Mind)

6.) Gospel Medley: Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven

Another amazing shot captured by Bill Hoover.

        7.) (medley cont.) Where No One Stands Alone  

        8.) (medley cont.) Title?

9.) Fist City

10.) Honky Tonk Girl

11.) I Wanna Be Free

12.) One's on the Way

13.) The Pill

14.) She's Got You

15.) Sweet Thang

16.) They Don't Make 'Em Like My Daddy Anymore

17.) When the Tingle Becomes a Chill

18.) You're Lookin' at Country

19.) You Ain't Woman Enough

Let me break reviewer mode to say that during this concert I fell in love all over again with the music and legend who is Loretta Lynn.  I've been blessed enough to see her three times this year and all three have been such highlights for me as a longtime fan. :)

<3 Kellie