The "Coal Miner's Daughter" posted the message just two days before her death.
Country legend Loretta Lynn died Tuesday morning at her home in Tennessee. The American singer and songwriter who rose to fame in the early 1960s was 90 years old when she died peacefully in her sleep. The "Coal Miner's Daughter" singer, who was actually a dirt-poor Kentucky coal miner's daughter, was a pioneer in the industry, especially for women singers, and sang songs about strength, resilience, and independence. She was a firm believer in god and was a devout Christian. Just two days before her passing, she posted a powerful Bible verse on her Instagram page. She wrote, "Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. John 3:20-21"
"My faith means a lot to me," she said, reported Southern Living. "If it wasn't for God, none of us would be here. Jesus is my friend. I keep hold of his hand and I don't let loose. If I ever let loose, well, I hope he grabs me because I'll be lost. There aren't words to share how thankful I am for all God has done for me." The family shared a statement announcing her death on her official social media accounts writing, "'Our precious mom, Loretta Lynn, passed away peacefully this morning, October 4th, in her sleep at home at her beloved ranch in Hurricane Mills.' The family of Loretta Lynn. The family has asked for privacy during this time, as they grieve. An announcement regarding a memorial will be forthcoming in a public announcement."
According to Country Living, the "Honky Tonk Girl" musician released more than 60 albums in her lifetime, 10 of which reached number one on the country music charts. In 1972 she became the first woman to receive the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year award. Over a decade later in 1988, Lynn was inducted into The Country Music Hall of Fame. "I went through a lot and I put up with a lot," Lynn told PEOPLE in 2010. "Every song I wrote came from my heart."
The legend is survived by four of her six children: Clara, Ernest, and twins Peggy and Patsy, reports the BBC. She is also survived by 17 grandchildren and four step-grandchildren. The artist stopped touring in 2017 due to several health issues. Before her death, she survived multiple falls and even a stroke but she continued to persist and even got back to performing and recording.
The singer slammed tabloids who spread reports of her taking a back seat due to her ill health. "Through the years they've said I'm broke, homeless, cheating, drinking, gone crazy, terminally ill, and even dead! Poor things can't ever get it right," she wrote on Facebook previously. "I guess if those old pesky tabloids are harassing me then they're giving someone else a break... but I'm about an inch from taking 'em to Fist City!" Her fiery spirit is what fans loved about her in her 60+ years in the business. "I like real life because that's what we're doing today," she said back in 2004. "And I think that's why people bought my records because they're living in this world and so am I. So I see what's going on, and I grab it."
RIP Icon.
References:
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-63134852
https://www.southernliving.com/culture/celebrities/loretta-lynn-instagram-video-faith
https://www.countryliving.com/life/a41515019/loretta-lynn-death-last-instagram-post/
https://people.com/country/loretta-lynn-dead-age-90/
Getty Images for Cracker Barrel | Photo by Brett Carlsen
