Loretta Lynn is actually three years older than she has led her fans to believe, which means the story she tells of being married at thirteen-years-old is not true. According to document obtained by the Associated Press, Lynn's birth certificate shows that the singer was born on April 14, 1932 - making her 80, not 77.
In her autobiography 'Coal Miner's Daughter', the singer says she was married at 13 and was a mother of four by 18, and most public references list Lynn's age as 77. When contacted about the matter, Lynn's spokeswoman Nancy Russell of Nashville declined to comment, saying that Lynn has made it clear, "If anyone asks how old I am, tell them it's none of their business!". The three year difference wouldn't be particularly notable, was it not for her autobiography and the subsequent Hollywood adaptation starring Sissy Spacek that grossed over $67 million and was nominated for seven Oscars. The book and movie chose to put Lynn's married age at 13, and Zooey Deschanel is set to play her in a forthcoming Broadway musical. Her co-author on 'Coal Miner's Daughter' - the New York Times sports columnist George Vecsey - admits he did not verify the age claims with Lynn, saying "It's her book, and I never saw a birth certificate, marriage license. It's what they told me.I couldn't say that she was the one who told me first. Between her manager (David Skepner) who has passed and her husband who has now passed, it was at least three different people telling me that".
In 1972, Loretta Lynn became the first woman to be named Entertainer of the Year by the Country Music Association. She is best known for her hits 'The Pill', 'You Ain't Woman Enough' and 'Coal Miner's Daughter'.