Loretta Lynn Tributes Late Husband On Their 73rd Anniversary

Loretta Lynn Tributes Late Husband On Their 73rd Anniversary

Loretta Lynn paid tribute to her late husband, Oliver Lynn, known as "Doolittle" on social media this week in honor of what would have been the couple's 73rd anniversary.

The 88-year-old posted a video of herself performing her song, "I Can't Hear the Music," from her 2000 album Still Country. The song was co-written by Lynn after her husband's passing in 1996.

"Today would be our 73rd anniversary," she wrote in the caption. "I can’t believe it’s been that long. We fought hard and we loved hard. He was my biggest fan and the real force behind my career. He’s the only man I ever loved. I miss you, Doo."

Lynn and Doo married in 1948 when she was only 15 and he was 21. The couple went on to have six children, daughters Betty Sue, Cissy, Patsy and Peggy, and sons Ernest Ray and Jack Benny.

While the singer has long credited her late husband with pushing her to pursue her country music career, their marriage was far from peaceful. Doo was an alcoholic who quite frequently cheated on Lynn and physically abused her. A number of Lynn's biggest hits were inspired by their rocky relationship including "Don't Come Home A-Drinkin' (With Lovin' on Your Mind)" and "Fist City."

Despite the challenges of the relationship, Lynn stood by her husband for the sake of their children. "I didn't need him, but he was my kids' daddy," she told CBS in 2002. "Why leave hearts laying on the floor for me? I had to think of my kids. I can't be that selfish. He broke my heart lots of times, but that woulda broke the kids' hearts, wouldn't it?"

Doo died in 1996, just days before his 70th birthday. His death was attributed to diabetes-related health problems and heart failure.

Photo: Getty Images


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