Country singer-songwriter Loretta Lynn(April 14, 1932 – October 4, 2022) memorialized her Kentucky roots in the first verse of her 1970 hit single “Coal Miner’s Daughter.”
Lynn and her sister, country singer Crystal Gayle, grew up in the tiny community of Butcher Hollow (or Holler, in the local dialect) in the Kentucky Appalachians region. In Lynn’s day, most of the people who lived here worked in the nearby Van Lear coal mines, and her father also farmed to help make ends meet. Her hardscrabble but loving upbringing had a great influence over her music, including hits like “I’m a Honky Tonk Girl” and “Blue Kentucky Girl.”
Butcher Holler
Lynn’s Butcher Holler childhood home, a humble wooden cabin surrounded by trees and rolling hills, is open to the public, and tours give a fascinating glimpse into life in this special region. Tours begin at Webb’s Grocery in Van Lear, an old-time general store where you can also stock up on snacks, drinks and Loretta Lynn memorabilia.