Loretta Lynn broke one of country music’s highest glass ceilings on Oct. 16, 1972, when she became the first female artist to win Entertainer of the Year at the CMA Awards.
The country icon was up against Merle Haggard, Freddie Hart, Charley Pride and Jerry Reed in the EOTY category, and she gave a brief acceptance speech acknowledging the importance of her win.
“I’d like to say that I’ve won a lot of awards, and this is one that I have been nominated for, but I never did get. And this, I think, is the only one that I haven’t gotten,” Lynn said from the stage. “I’m real happy, but the only thing that I’m kind of sad about is my husband going hunting. He couldn’t make it back in to share my happiness with me. Thank you.”
Lynn’s win came after a year that included the release of her 21st solo album, Here I Am Again. She had already scored a long string of hit singles that included the No. 1 hits “Coal Miner’s Daughter” and “Don’t Come Home a ‘Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind),” and she titled her next album in 1973 Entertainer of the Year in honor of her win.
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Lynn had previously won Female Vocalist of the Year at the CMA Awards in 1967, and she also took home that award in 1972.
She was nominated for Entertainer of the Year every year from 1971 to 1975, but 1972 remains her sole win in the category. Lynn would remain the only female ever to win in the category until 1978, when Dolly Parton took home the CMA’s top honors.
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PICTURES: See Inside Loretta Lynn’s Historic First Nashville Home
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
PICTURES: Look Inside Loretta Lynn’s Luxurious Nashville Home
Loretta Lynn’s luxurious former home outside of Nashville is for sale, and pictures show a property that’s a perfect mix of classy and cozy. The country queen’s 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom, 3,409-square-foot home in a rural community outside of Nashville is listed for sale for $799,000, and that price includes a residence that is “finished to a T,” according to its listing. The beautiful home sits on more than five acres of rural land directly on the river, offering direct access for canoeing and kayaking. The rural property is just two minutes from I-40, offering an easy commute into Nashville, and it also offers easy access to schools, stores, dining options and more amenities that are just minutes away.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
Sterling Whitaker is a Senior Writer and Senior Editor for Taste of Country. He focuses on celebrity real estate, as well as coverage of Yellowstone and related shows like 1883 and 1923. He’s interviewed cast members including Cole Hauser, Kelly Reilly, Sam Elliott and Harrison Ford, and Whitaker is also known for his in-depth interviews with country legends including Don Henley, Rodney Crowell, Trace Adkins, Ronnie Milsap, Ricky Skaggs and more.