Iconic: Loretta Lynn & Her Amazing Louisiana Hayride Performances

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The music world lost a true legend this week as Loretta Lynn passed away at 90 years old.  Although Lynn was born in 1932, she didn't start singing in public until the late 50's. And she didn't have her first #1 hit until 1967.  That was her first #1... she went on to chart 16, including 5 consecutive #1 hits with Conway Twitty between 1971-1975.

But a lot of people don't realize Loretta Lynn performed at the Louisiana Hayride 3 times between 1963-1970.  She debuted at the Hayride in 1963 on a bill with Johnny Cash, Shreveport's Faron Young, George Jones, June Carter, and the Carter Family. That's quite an impressive line-up by anyone's standards.  Loretta was not the top billing artist then.

She performed again in Shreveport on the Hayride in 1965, sharing the bill with Ferlin Husky, Nat Stuckey, and the Annual Miss KWKH Beauty Contest.  Lynn performed the Hank Williams song "Mind Your Own Business."

By the time she made her final performance at the Hayride in 1970, she was the top billing artist, which also included The Chaparral Brothers, The Little Okies, and Shreveport's Lee Wright.

Loretta Lynn was a true pioneer, not only in country music, but in the music industry.  And she was no stranger to controversy.  Lynn wrote a lot of her own songs, with many being auto-biographical, like one of her biggest hits, Coal Miners Daughter.  Her 1975 song "The Pill" was banned from country radio, even though the song was from the perspective of a wife who didn't want anymore children. Many stations won't play the song, even to this day.

Other #1 hits include, "Don't Come Home A' Drinkin' (With Lovin' on Your Mind)", "Fist City", "Rated X", and "Out of My Head and Back in My Bed".

The legendary Loretta Lynn passed away Tuesday at her home in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.