In 1970, Loretta Lynn released her autobiographical song, “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” Recounting her experiences growing up in rural Kentucky during the Great Depression, the song reached No. 1 on the Billboard country chart. Ten years after its release, “Coal Miner’s Daughter” was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film starring Sissy Spacek. Now, Lynn’s life story is heading to Broadway. But who will play the legendary country trailblazer onstage?
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Loretta Lynn “Absolutely Fell In Love” With ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ Star
Broadway star Sutton Foster, who has won multiple Tony Awards for her work in shows like Thoroughly Modern Millie and The Music Man, will portray Loretta Lynn in the forthcoming stage adaptation of Coal Miner’s Daughter.
Lynn’s family says that Foster, who also starred in the TV Land comedy-drama Younger, met with the “Fist City” icon prior to her death in October 2022 at age 90.
“As one of the last creative projects our mom was so passionate about, we are thankful that she had the opportunity to experience the initial stages of Sutton’s sincere portrayal of Loretta,” wrote the family in a statement. “Mom absolutely fell in love with her and thought she was just the right person to play her onstage.”
Although still in the development stage, Lynn’s family has already had plenty of hands-on involvement in the musical. Patsy Lynn, the country superstar’s manager, producer and daughter, is serving as a consultant alongside longtime adviser Nancy Russell.
Inspired by the 1980 film and autobiography by Loretta Lynn and George Vecsey, Coal Miner’s Daughter “tells the story of Loretta’s rise from humble beginnings in rural Kentucky to country music legend, featuring songs from Loretta’s career.”
[RELATED: The Only Song ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ Star Sissy Spacek Wrote with Loretta Lynn]
On Her Bond With Patsy Cline
The Coal Miner’s Daughter movie isn’t the only time that Loretta Lynn saw her life adapted for the screen. The 2019 Lifetime film Patsy & Loretta chronicled her unshakable bond with fellow country star Patsy Cline.
The pair first met in 1961 after Cline suffered injuries in a car accident. On the radio show Midnight Jamboree, Lynn dedicated her performance of “I Fall to Pieces” to the hospitalized singer. Cline was so touched by the gesture that she invited Lynn to visit her in the hospital.
“Did I know meeting Patsy that day would change my life? No. How could I?” the “Hey Loretta” singer wrote in her 2020 memoir Me and Patsy Kickin’ Up Dust: My Friendship With Patsy Cline. “But I knew I’d found a real friend: a great singer, a proud momma, a woman who wasn’t afraid to stand up for herself.”
Featured image by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for Americana Music
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