Loretta Lynn's Granddaughter Looks Exactly Like The Legend
Loretta Lynn might be the most famous Coal Miner's Daughter that ever lived, but if Hollywood decides to revisit the legendary singer's prolific career with another biopic someday, casting directors need not look too far. Her granddaughter, Tayla Lynn, could portray the country music superstar without question. From those high cheekbones to that infectious smile, it's clear that the apple didn't fall far from the tree.
While fans can clearly see Loretta and Tayla are related, you can also hear the family resemblance, too. As the daughter of Loretta's only surviving son, singer Ernest Ray Lynn, Tayla shares her family's passion for performance. In fact, Tayla was only 4 when she first joined her "Memaw" on stage. "I can't remember a time that I wasn't in the wings in some town somewhere, watchin' my Memaw [Loretta Lynn] and my Daddy [Ernest Ray Lynn] on stage," she says on her website. "I started singing as soon as I opened my mouth."
Tayla kicked off her own professional music career in 2007 as member of the female country trio Stealing Angels. Along with Caroline Cutbirth and Jennifer Wayne, the ladies came together as part of the reality TV show All in the Genes but parted company in 2012. Tayla launched her solo recording career with her debut album The Ranch in 2016. However, Loretta's granddaughter has encountered numerous obstacles on the road to success.
Like her grandmother, Tayla Lynn has experienced devastating loss
Loretta Lynn is no stranger to loss. Her eldest son, Benny, drowned at age 34 in 1984. In 2013, her eldest daughter, Betty, passed away at age 64 after a battle with emphysema. Unfortunately, Tayla Lynn also endured a terrible loss when her mother, Cynthia "Cindy" Plemons, died unexpectedly in 2018, just hours after attending a Loretta Lynn tribute concert that Tayla headlined.
Tayla has collaborated with her grandmother to help process her sorrow. "I love working and writing with Memaw, and Memaw loved my Mom so much," Tayla said, via Facebook. "I'm a pretty tough person, but my Mom's death has softened me. When I'm in a softer place and more connected to God, I can write more. Whether it is writing blogs or music or being a better vocalist because I feel it more, I think all of that is a result of missing her. She was so proud of my music. My Mom left me a voicemail the week before she died, singing some lyrics to a song she'd made up, and I've taken those lyrics to Memaw and she and I are writing the rest of the song."
With her grandmother's continued love and support, Tayla has transformed her grief into art.
Tayla Lynn's son helped her overcome addiction
Tayla Lynn has struggled with addiction over the years. Despite eight years of sobriety, she relapsed for six months after the birth of her first son, Tru. At that time, the singer had become addicted to Vicodin prescribed after her C-section, but Tayla credits her son with helping her get sober and stay sober. "I hold him. I watch the sunrise and silently cry into his hair 'I'm so glad I had you Tru. You changed my life just by being you,'" she posted on Instagram.
Now an advocate for addicts everywhere, Tayla wants people to know that alcoholism and addiction are diseases for which there's no cure and no excuse — even in the face of loss. "Today I am an alcoholic. Tomorrow will be no different," she wrote on Facebook. "My alcoholism lives within me now and forever. I must never forget what I am. Alcohol will surely kill me if I fail to recognize and acknowledge my disease on a daily basis. I am not playing a game in which a loss is a temporary setback. I am dealing with my disease, for which there is no cure, only daily acceptance and vigilance."
From the ashes of her illness, Tayla Lynn has come back stronger than ever.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse and mental health, please contact SAMHSA's 24-hour National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Tayla Lynn partnered with Tre Twitty to honor their grandparents' legacy
As the grandchild of the Country Music Association's first female entertainer of the year, Tayla Lynn partnered with Tre Twitty, grandson of country crooner Conway Twitty, to pay homage to the legends. Loretta and Conway recorded a string of duets that earned them the CMA vocal duo of the year title for four consecutive years, from 1972-1975. Tayla and Tre have walked in their grandparents' shoes by singing those same duets together.
"When I was growing up I swore she was married to my grandfather, but she was married to Conway too. I never thought of Conway not being some form of a boyfriend to her, because of the songs and the album covers ... her love for him it's so big and real," Tayla told the Miami News-Record. Tre and Tayla love introducing their grandparents' work to a new generation of country music fans. "We respect them so much we would never try to be them, but we do try to make them proud..." What a way to honor two country music icons!