''Coal Miner's Daughter'' is the sixteenth solo studio album by American country music singer-songwriter

Loretta Lynn Loretta Lynn (; April 14, 1932 – October 4, 2022) was an American country music singer and songwriter. In a career spanning six decades, Lynn released multiple gold albums. She had numerous hits such as "Hey Loretta", "The Pill (song), The P ...

. It was released on January 4, 1971, by

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis after his acquisition of a gramophone manufacturer, The Decca Gramophone Company. It set up an American subsidiary under the Decca name, which bec ...

. The title song would go on to become Lynn's signature song. The album and song's title would later be used for the name of Lynn's best-selling autobiography as well as the 1980

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...

-winning

movie A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...

starring

Sissy Spacek Mary Elizabeth "Sissy" Spacek (; born December 25, 1949) is an American actress and singer. She has received List of awards and nominations received by Sissy Spacek, numerous accolades throughout her career spanning over five decades, including ...

. It was also listed at No. 440 on ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

s 2020 ranking of

the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is a recurring opinion survey and music ranking of the finest albums in history, compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and indu ...

Critical reception

In the issue dated January 16, 1971, ''

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'' published a review of the album that said, "The one and only Loretta Lynn has cut another great package here. The material is done in distinctive style, retaining true country flavor. "Coal Miner's Daughter", "Less of Me", "The Man of the House" are typical. Must merchandise." '' Cashbox'' also published a review in their January 16 issue which said, "Loretta Lynn has long been one of country music's most outstanding and most important female vocalists. She is a writer as well as an interpreter of feelings and emotions. "Coal Miner's Daughter", her most recent top 5 single record is the true story of Loretta and her father, a coal miner in Kentucky. After listening to that cut several times, you can begin to appreciate the sincerity that went into the session with Loretta. Also included in the package are "Hello Darlin'", "Snowbird", " For the Good Times", "What Makes Me Tick", and six other moving selections." ''

Record World ''Record World'' magazine was one of three major weekly music industry trade magazines in the United States, with ''Billboard'' and '' Cashbox''. It was founded in 1946 as ''Music Vendor''. In 1964, it was changed to ''Record World'' under the ...

s review of the album said, "Pretty cover, pretty singing, pretty girl! Contents run like this: "Less of Me", "Anyone, Any Worse, Any Where" are super fine; "For the Good Times" is oversung but she really sinks her teeth into "Man of the House". "Another Man Loved Me Last Night" is ready for everything but airplay and she should have found "Snowbird" first. All in all, it's a good outing but the world needs an all-Loretta penned album."

Commercial performance

The album peaked at No. 4 on the US ''

'' Hot Country LP's chart and at No. 81 on the US ''Billboard'' Top LP's chart. The album was certified Gold by the

RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

in 1983 for shipping 500,000 copies, becoming Lynn's third Gold album. The album's only single, " Coal Miner's Daughter", was released in October 1970 and peaked at No. 1 on the US ''Billboard''

Hot Country Singles Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data along with digital sales and streaming. ...

chart, and at No. 83 on the US ''Billboard''

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chart. In Canada, the single peaked at No. 1 on the ''

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'' Country Singles chart.

Recording

Recording sessions for the album took place at

Bradley's Barn Bradley's Barn was a music recording studio founded in the mid-1960s by Owen Bradley. The studio was built in a converted barn on farmland in the Nashville suburb of Mount Juliet, and was the site of numerous notable recordings by artists includ ...

in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, on April 9, July 14 and 15, and August 19, 1970. Five of the album's eleven tracks were recorded during sessions for previous albums. "Coal Miner's Daughter" had been recorded during the October 1, 1969 session for 1970's '' Here's Loretta Singing "Wings Upon Your Horns"''. "It'll Be Open Season on You" was recorded on May 28, 1969, during a session for 1969's '' Woman of the World/To Make a Man''. Three songs were recorded during sessions for 1970's ''

Loretta Lynn Writes 'Em and Sings 'Em ''Loretta Lynn Writes 'Em and Sings 'Em'' is a compilation album by American country music singer-songwriter Loretta Lynn. It was released on June 8, 1970, by Decca Records. The album is composed of five previously released recordings and six new ...

''. "What Makes Me Tick" was recorded on December 22, 1969, while "Any One, Any Worse, Any Where" and "Another Man Loved Me Last Night" were recorded on December 23, 1969.

Track listing

Personnel

Adapted from the album liner notes and Decca recording session records. *

Harold Bradley Harold Bradley may refer to: Others * Harold Bradley (guitarist) (1926–2019), American country and pop guitarist * Harold Bradley (pianist) (1906–1984), Canadian pianist * Harold Bradley (trade unionist) (1895–1979), British trade union leade ...

– bass guitar, electric bass guitar *

Owen Bradley William Owen Bradley (October 21, 1915 – January 7, 1998) was an American musician, bandleader and record producer who, along with Chet Atkins, Bob Ferguson, Bill Porter, and Don Law, was a chief architect of the 1950s and 60s Nashville sou ...

– producer *

Ray Edenton Ray Quarles Edenton (November 3, 1926 – September 21, 2022) was an American guitarist and country music session musician. Early life Ray Edenton was born into a musical family on November 3, 1926, and grew up near Mineral, Virginia. His fi ...

– guitar, acoustic guitar *

Buddy Harman Murrey Mizell "Buddy" Harman, Jr. (December 23, 1928 – August 21, 2008) was an American country music session musician. Career Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Harman studied music at Roy C. Knapp School of Percussion. He returned to Nashville ...

– drums *Junior Huskey – bass *Darrell Johnson – mastering *

The Jordanaires The Jordanaires were an American vocal quartet that formed as a gospel group in 1948. Over the years, they recorded both sacred and secular music for recording companies such as Capitol Records, RCA Victor, Columbia Records, Decca Records, Vo ...

– background vocals *Loretta Lynn – lead vocals *

Grady Martin Thomas Grady Martin (January 17, 1929 – December 3, 2001) was an American session guitarist in country music and rockabilly. A member of The Nashville A-Team, he played guitar on hits such as Marty Robbins' "El Paso", Loretta Lynn's " Coal M ...

– guitar, lead electric guitar *

Bob Moore Bob Moore may refer to: * Bob Moore (musician) (1932–2021), American session musician * Bob Moore (executive) (1929–2024), co-founder of Bob's Red Mill * Bob Moore (American football) (born 1949), American football tight end * Bob Moore (Au ...

– bass * Hargus Robbins – piano *Hal Rugg –

steel guitar A steel guitar () is any guitar played while moving a steel bar or similar hard object against plucked strings. The bar itself is called a "steel" and is the source of the name "steel guitar". The instrument differs from a conventional guitar i ...

Dobro Dobro () is an American brand of resonator guitars owned by Gibson and manufactured by its subsidiary Epiphone. The term "dobro" is also used as a generic term for any wood-bodied, single-cone resonator guitar. The Dobro was originally a gui ...

*Jerry Stembridge – acoustic guitar * Bobby Thompson – banjo *

Pete Wade Herman Bland "Pete" Wade (December 16, 1934 – August 27, 2024) was an American guitarist. Wade worked as a session musician in Nashville, playing on numerous hits including "Crazy Arms" by Ray Price, "He Stopped Loving Her Today" by George Jo ...

– guitar *Doyle Wilburn – liner notes *Jim Williamson – engineer

Charts

Album Singles

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 1971 albums Loretta Lynn albums Albums produced by Owen Bradley Decca Records albums