Remember When Loretta Lynn Dang Near Made Alan Jackson Blush? [Watch]
In 2017, Loretta Lynn paid tribute to Alan Jackson, and to look at him is to wonder if her words weren't worth more than the reason for the celebration.
On Oct. 22, 2017, Lynn made a rare public appearance to help induct Jackson into the Country Music Hall of Fame. She even mentioned that she rarely leaves the house in her speech that day.
"You're the only thing that would have brought me here," she says — watch the video below.
At the time, the country icon was just five months removed from suffering a stroke that threatened her life. Her recovery was an ongoing process, but she ultimately was able to record again and enjoy a celebration in her honor in Nashville in 2019. Those in attendance at the Medallion Ceremony in 2017 were shocked to see her.
"The first time I ever met Alan ... he looked like a scared little boy," she says, smiling. "He was practicing backstage, going through his songs and I remember I looked at him and said, 'You're going to be one of the greatest singers in country music. He hadn't let me down."
Jackson's career began in 1989 with "Blue Blooded Woman," and he was a country music staple in the 1990s and 2000s. By that point, Lynn's most successful commercial years were behind her, and she'd embraced the role of influence on the next generation.
"I love you honey and I wanna say congratulations and I am so proud of you," Lynn says. "Hey, you should be here."
During his remarks at the ceremony, Jackson puffed out his jacket and stood up straight as he smiled and said, "Loretta Lynn said I should be in here. That's all I needed to hear."
Jackson's tribute following Lynn's Oct. 4, 2022 death can be seen above. Below you'll find dozens more from the country music community, including remarks from several Hall of Fame artists.
Loretta Lynn Dies: Country Stars React to the Death of Country's Queen
In Memoriam: Country Stars Who Have Died in 2022
Gallery Credit: Lorie Liebig