November 23, 2004
Loretta Lynn
Lanierland (Cumming, GA)
by Noel Hernandez

Whether she’s playing the Grand Ole Opry or (in this case) Lanierland, the legendary Loretta Lynn always takes the stage in the grandest yet most gracious manor. As the announcer beckoned the audience to welcome the Queen of Country, she regally strolled out donning the crimson version of her powder blue prom dress from the cover of her latest album, Van Lear Rose.

From the first note she sang, Loretta Lynn crooned clear as crystal, sharing a mere fraction of her extensive musical history with fans young and old. Connecting with her audience seemed effortless as she often took a moment between songs to reach out in conversation creating a very intimate vibe. Ms. Lynn gives the impression that she’s speaking to family (after all, she has stated that she tries to treat her fans as such), asking inquisitively in her unwavering Southern drawl, “Is anyone cold? I sure hope everyone is warm enough tonight.” Her sense of humor, vibrant as ever, came in to play (possibly camouflaging recent health problems) when she exclaimed “Where’s my chair? Folks, I’m havin’ a senior moment-y’all don’t mind if I have seat?”

Seated or not, she remained determined to do requested songs from the audience. “So what do y’all wanna hear? –this is your show - you tell me.” Unfortunately, the cattle calls from dozens of fans began to blurt out, “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” painfully reminiscent of the “Freebird” exclamations, so tiring and redundant as if Ms. Lynn’s vast repertoire had produced nothing more than a single hit. She reassured endearingly that her famous song would soon be sung, but not before pulling out the golden oldie, “Fist City,” performing the crowd pleaser from her makeshift throne flawlessly.

Disappointingly, Ms. Lynn’s set list of the evening favored fans oblivious to her most recent success story better known as her latest album Van Lear Rose. Performing only one song off of the album was as if Van Lear Rose was the bastard child of an unsuspecting union between herself and modern day rock star/producer Jack White. Preceding her duet “Portland, Oregon”, Ms. Lynn dutifully informed her devoted audience of the background regarding her work with a “rock-n-roll star named Jack White”. Unsurprisingly, his name fell on deaf ears, as almost no audience reaction was issued. The exception was the handful of alternative music fans that came all the way from the city- anxiously awaiting music from the album that resulted from the famous merger of White and Lynn.

The hard truth is that the good country folks that have been listening to Ms. Lynn’s matter-of-fact storytelling for 30 plus years are simply content in hearing the classics. Knowing what keeps her fans loyal would explain why deviating too far from her musical ritual would be a needless promotion at this point in her enduring career. Keeping in line with the political state of the US, Ms. Lynn solemnly sang the patriotic “God Bless America Again,” choosing a more appropriate deviation from her standard of classics. The standing ovation that followed suggested that the majority of her fan base appreciated Ms. Lynn’s down home sensibilities and religious morality.

Closing the night with her signature “Coal Miner’s Daughter”, it’s evident that Loretta Lynn’s music is a gift to anyone who appreciates the simplicity of true blue storytelling, sing-along melodies, and purist musicianship. She wouldn’t have things any other way. Her timeless musical contributions pay homage to her life experiences, and an education of country life and culture, sung best by the Queen herself, informing us all that, “if you’re lookin’ at me, you’re lookin’ at country.”

www.lorettalynn.com