VAN ZANDT - It's hard to imagine anyone more letdown than Laurie Lee Lewis about the news that Loretta Lynn had to drop her show at the Northwest Washington Fair.
Lewis and her extended family had looked forward to renewing old ties with Lynn, but that won't happen because the singing star canceled her visit in favor of knee surgery.
Lewis' mother, Darlene Little of Deming, knows Lynn from their early days in Whatcom County, before Lynn moved to Nashville and became a country music legend.
For years afterward, the Little clan would see Lynn perform when she was in the area. After a show, Darlene would go backstage or onto the tour bus to chat with her old friend, while her husband, Jack, would visit with Lynn's husband, and young Laurie and her siblings would crane their necks to catch a glimpse of the music star.
Lewis, herself, grew up to become a singer and recording artist. When she heard that Lynn planned to perform at the Lynden fair on Thursday, Aug. 18, she bought a batch of tickets early on.
She also hustled to write "Ode To Loretta," a musical tribute, and posted the song and accompanying video online. Lewis credits Lynn with encouraging her musical aspirations with a memorable kiss on the cheek, and setting an example of someone who writes and sings from the heart.
"They're all honest songs, truthful songs," she said of Lynn's work. "That's the closest influence that Loretta had on me; she sang it the way she saw it."
Loretta Lynn's national fame deepened with the appearance of her bestselling memoir, "Coal Miner's Daughter," and the 1980 movie starring Sissy Spacek. Lynn grew up in dirt-poor Butcher Hollow, Ky., but lived in Custer with her husband, Mooney, for 11 crucial years - from 1950, when she was 14 and pregnant, until 1961, soon after she recorded her first hit, "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl."
While Mooney looked for work in Whatcom County, Loretta had three more kids, cooked, cleaned and, when she had a bit of spare time, practiced on her $17 guitar and sang along to the radio. She appeared onstage for the first time at the Delta Grange hall, and performed at other local clubs.
By coincidence, Lewis' mother sang and played acoustic guitar in a three-piece band and got to know Lynn from performing on the same local circuit.
"They were the hot gals of Whatcom County out there," Lewis said.
When Lynn moved to Nashville, Darlene Little stayed put in Whatcom County to raise a family with her husband, also a musician. Darlene and Loretta would catch up on old times whenever Lynn came through the area.
"Us kids and dad would stay outside and mom would disappear into the bus," Lewis said. "It was more about my mom getting to see Loretta."
One time, years ago, the Little family traveled to Canada to see Lynn perform. Backstage, Laurie held back, too shy to give her idol a hug. So Lynn, who knew that Laurie dreamed of becoming a singer, planted a big kiss on her cheek. As the dazed girl walked away, a tooth came loose on the same side as her lipstick memento.
"She kissed me on the cheek and my tooth fell out," Lewis said. "From that moment on, I knew Loretta was magic."
Lewis went on to sing, write, record, produce and perform music for more than 20 years, and counting. Like Lynn in her early days, she, too, mixes music with raising a family, all while tending a large garden and raising goats, ducks, chickens and two miniature horses.
"I'm a rubber-boot, chicken-raising girl," Lewis said, "very much like Loretta's beginnings."
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"ODE TO LORETTA"
Chorus: Oh she grew up in Butcher Holler, Oh how we love the Coal Miner's daughter
her songs, her voice, straight from the heart, her life, her words, set her apart.
Loretta Webb married Moonie Lynn - at the tender age of thirteen.
one year later, started having babies with barely room in between.
She started writin' country songs, of what she knew and what she could see
A long, hard, road - from singing in bars - to the Grand Ole Opry.
Repeat chorus
Her songs told women - to fight for their man, cheap women better stay away
she sang - of barefooted, pregnant too long - how the pill was here to stay
threatened drunk husbands - clean up their act - before they came home at night
Loretta Lynn - did not know it - but she helped the liberation fight.
Repeat chorus
Loretta was there - in the beginning - opened doors to pave the way
women who sing - our country songs - have her to thank today,
So it's ode to you, dear Loretta, the little gal from Butcher Holler.
You've touched the world - with your honesty ... beautiful - Coal Miner's daughter.
Repeat chorus
- Copyright Laurie Lee Lewis
Reach DEAN KAHN atdean.kahn@bellinghamherald.com or call 715-2291.
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