NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — With word of Loretta Lynn's death, people immediately wanted to find a place where they could pay tribute to her memory. Many found that at the statue of Lynn outside the Ryman.
"Ms. Loretta, she got her start here at the Ryman Auditorium," said Robert Rogers.
"I've loved her for a long time," added Jarrod Stamper. "She was born and raised not far from where I am."
"She's an icon," said a mother who walked up with her family. "I grew up on her. My mom raised me up on her."
The story of Loretta Lynn is by now legendary — the daughter of a coal miner and farmer from Butcher Hollow, Kentucky.
"She started in those humble beginnings," said Cara Julius.
"She struggled and became stronger with every endeavor," said a man standing next to the statue.
Lynn's music demanded attention with a bold female perspective.
"Her music was real," said Rogers. "There was nothing fake. It was authentic. It told real-life stories."
"Her lyrics and what she did was so far ahead of her time," said Stamper. "Being able to break that mold, truly, it was a man's world until Loretta Lynn came along and had the gumption to challenge societal norms and be willing to be a trailblazer for women."
For Julius, there's an old memory she cherishes.
"Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn's bus broke down and my father-in-law had a nice big Greyhound that he brought to the concert," she remembered. "They were on that bus. To show their appreciation, they signed 'Love Conway and Loretta Lynn' on the roof of the bus."
The kindness, the story of humble beginnings and the boundary-pushing music all make Loretta Lynn someone beloved by all kinds of people.
"I've seen it many times before, but today it's something different," said a woman in the crowd. "It's sad. It's a sad day."
"I think maybe the empathy and the caring she had came from what she didn't have when she was younger," said another woman. "I'm crying. I'm sorry."
"How blessed am I to be here on the day she left this earth," said Julius.
"She had a life well spent, and she leaves a legacy that won't soon be forgotten," said Stamper. "Happy to come pay my respects today to a legend."
