Sharon Haynes

"Loretta Lynn"

Hello. My name is Sharon Haynes. I have the pleasure of singing all those Patsy hits in the "Original Tribute to Patsy Cline" show at the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino with The Jordanaires. They sing those same background vocals with me in the show as they sang with Patsy on the original hit recordings.

The Jordanaires have an amazing history of recording with 2500+ artists throughout their 50-year history. A nearly endless list of famous performers has worked with The Jordanaires, including Patsy Cline and a 15-year history with Elvis Presley. The Jordanaires performed countless live shows at the Grand Ole’ Opry, toured extensively across this country and many other countries. They have many endearing stories to share of their favorite artists with whom they have worked and built lifelong friendships. One of their favorite artists would be Loretta Lynn. Usually, artists that reach that coveted status of being classified as a "Star" generally are unique people. Stars seem to have their own set of special habits and personality traits that make them more "colorful" from what we could term just ordinary people.

Loretta Lynn will always be considered one of these such "colorful" persons. The Jordanaires have first hand knowledge of Loretta both on and off stage have respect and love for her. Providing background vocals, The Jordanaires recorded on all of Loretta’s hit records. Participating in several recording sessions through the years, including the hit record "Coal Miner’s Daughter" and the soundtracks for the movie, they truly enjoy working with Loretta. The Jordanaires recorded with Loretta on her most recent gospel album that, by the way, is selling like hot cakes!

Working six nights a week in Las Vegas with the talent of The Jordanaires is special for me. I would love to get the opportunity to meet Loretta Lynn, that would be the icing on the cake. Never being in the same place where Loretta’s performing, it seems I am always performing in another state or town and just never got the opportunity for our paths to cross. Talking with Loretta would be special. I am in great admiration of a woman who started with only a third grade education, married at age thirteen, had six children, being sweet, kind, sincere and yet be so talented.

She not only survived in an industry that can be cold, callous, conniving and full of sharks who feed on other’s dreams of success, but rose to the top. She has become one of the greatest success stories in the music industry. Loretta even owns her own town, Hurricane Mills, in Midwest Tennessee.

Loretta’s husband, Doo (Doolittle Mooney Lynn), encouraged her to pursue a singing career by having her perform in bars across the country. He accompanied her as manager while her mama kept the kids. Stories have it that "Doo" was determined to push her to stardom, so his future would not be in the coal mines of Kentucky. The thought of working all his life and breathing coal dust and dying at the average age of thirty plus was not appealing.

Constantly fans ask me if I have ever met Loretta because of how close Loretta and Patsy were. One of the greatest forces to bring Loretta Lynn from singing on street corners, lounges and bars was Patsy Cline! Patsy hearing Loretta dedicate a song to her during the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree Radio Show while Patsy was in the hospital recuperating from a near fatal automobile accident. Already a star on the Grand Ole’ Opry and with #1 records, Patsy sent her husband, Charlie Dick, to bring Loretta to the hospital so they could meet. Patsy was from then on instrumental in helping Loretta to meet the right people and be in the right places to reach also that same level of stardom.

In spite of all that stardom and wealth, Loretta Lynn’s fans simply cherish that little girl from Kentucky. She has won their hearts with her warm country charm and heart felt lyrics and singing. The fans also know her to be unintentionally humorous at times because of her naivete’ while speaking her mind. This unpretentious reputation has become a most cherished and coveted trait of the much-loved and honored great lady of country music. A following paragraph contains one such instance of her humor.

Loretta was performing in England years ago and an interviewer asks Loretta what she thought regarding some negative comments from a review about her. She replied, "Well, if I hear he writes any more things like that about me, I’m gonna whoop him all over the ‘STATE’ of England!"