Loretta Lynn (1932-2022) occupies a very special niche in country music. Per the website of the Country Music Hall of Fame, this powerhouse of a woman and singer "became an American hero and a country music standard-bearer." She exemplified determination and charm, coupled with admirable grit and grace. Lynn performed duets with many artists, but the ones she did with fellow country music superstar Conway Twitty were truly epic. The pair took home Vocal Duo of the Year honors from the CMA from 1972 to 1975. That did not happen by coincidence. They were red-hot, and audiences loved them.
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Lynn's duets with Twitty and others merit a second look. Here are four of them that, like the coal miner's daughter herself, are eternally sensational.
'You're The Reason Our Kids Are Ugly' With Conway Twitty
The two could do no wrong when it came to singing together. Per American Songwriter, "They released a total of 13 singles, 12 of which reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart before disbanding in 1981." Twitty and Lynn also recorded 10 albums. He passed away in 1993. She died in 2022. Their greatness outlived them, however. Whether they did playful, light-hearted tunes like this one in 1978, or far more serious material, they were a treasure that blessed country music - and us.
'Mr. And Mrs. Used To Be' With Ernest Tubb
Lynn's duets with Tubb are nearly as renowned as those she did with Conway Twitty. This 1964 song about the sad and painful aftermath of a divorce was potent stuff. I'm sure it's mournful realism hit home with many people who found themselves in a similar post-marital predicament.
The duo made a total of three albums together, with the first one having the title of this track. Per her web site, "[I]t was a huge success, spawning two singles and reaching number 13 on the Country charts."
'Lay Me Down' With Willie Nelson
When the fabled Red-Headed Stranger got together with Loretta Lynn, history was made. The solemn, meditative song, "Lay Me Down" was just right for the two of them. Both were in their 80s when they did the duet in 2016, which is about coming to the twilight of life and contemplatively looking back and forward. Peerless masters of their craft, Nelson and Lynn produced a real gem with this one.
'All Or Nothing At All' With Frank Sinatra
This pairing seems a little weird. Sinatra and Lynn singing together? It's like putting Alice Cooper with Reba McEntire. But in this case, it oddly works. They are such pros that they lean into all their expertise to come up with something memorable and magical for his 1977 TV special, Sinatra and Friends. Per Woman's World, "...[T]he resulting duet is lively, driven by frothy grooves and peppy horns. Loretta adopts a typically earnest stance alongside Sinatra's trademark laid-back, cool-cat swing."
