It’s hard to believe that Loretta Lynn could have ever been a figure of controversy. But she was, and more than once. Oddly enough, in the early 70s it was still considered shocking to have a song called “Rated X”, particularly in the field of Country & Western music with its devoted fan base of church-going southerners. The lyrics may be about a rascally former spouse but the song’s title still managed to stir up enough controversy to put Loretta on the defensive. This is to say nothing of the uproar brought about by her song called “The Pill”. Though she is rarely given credit for it, Loretta Lynn paved the way for much of the women’s liberation movement in the 70s by writing many of these songs herself, their lyrics inspired by her feelings about the world outside her window. The great lady would probably shrug off any such suggestion with her natural humility, more likely to be interested in swapping recipes than in basking in false glories. From her younger days apprenticing in the shadow of friend and mentor Patsy Cline to her recent work with Jack White, by all accounts The Coal Miner’s Daughter remains as down to earth and gracious as ever. This humble queen of Country music might laugh at being labeled a “living legend”. But the words have been used to describe her for quite some time now, and for good reason.
There was a time when the American public’s perception of the Rockabilly lifestyle was abject fear and loathing. Buncha greasers couldn’t possibly be anything more than common criminals and degenerates. A rare female hit-maker in the male-dominated Rockabilly field, Wanda Jackson was another good girl from the south who wasn’t looking to stir up any controversy. (Darn that Presley boy from Tupelo who steered her career towards Rockabilly in the first place!) Walking away from her rock n roll career, she turned to singing gospel music exclusively for many years. No doubt it was the fire and the fury of her early output that caught the ear of Jack White. The guitarist reached out a hand to produce a record for Wanda Jackson at a time in her life when she seemed to have made peace with the records she’d made as a young woman.
Both of these unlikely feminist icons and music legends will be playing at Bonnaroo this weekend. Their producer Jack White keeps a home and headquarters not far from Nashville. One wonders if Jack will make an appearance at the festival.
Here’s a clip of Jack and Wanda on Letterman:
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