Loretta Lynn’s granddaughter, Emmy Russell, has the same charm as her grandmother in music. During American Idol last year, after initially performing an original song, the judges thought she could do something that would showcase her roots. She was asked to sing her grandmother’s song, “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” but this did not sit well with the 26-year-old singer.
Emmy Russell recalled getting angry even though she had a deep connection to the late legendary country singer. Loretta has been attending musical concerts with her granddaughter even when she was much younger. However, she hesitated because Emmy Russell did not want her actions to be perceived as nepotism.
Who is Loretta Lynn’s granddaughter, Emmy Russell?
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Loretta Lynn’s granddaughter, Emmy Russell, is known for storytelling through songs and her guitar, which her grandmother gave to her. Her passion for music can be traced back to her Loretta, who continuously made efforts to impact the inspiration behind her songs.
Meanwhile, Emmy’s background in music is not limited to her grandmother; her parents, Patsy Lynn and Philip Russell, have also influenced her in this regard. Nevertheless, she did not want her reputation and identity in the music industry to be based on her family’s past accomplishments. Hence, she was reluctant to perform Loretta’s song when asked to.
Recounting her experience on The Thrivalist podcast, she shared that out of the three songs the judges randomly picked for her, she only knew one, which happened to be her grandmother Loretta Lynn’s music, and she “was so mad” about it. However, she performed the song beautifully, as usual, and everyone was wowed.
Loretta Lynn’s influence on Emmy Russell
Even though Emmy Russell was eliminated from the Top 5, her inspiration for music remains. She particularly enjoys writing songs, a habit she started when she was 9. She shared that her music is a way of communicating her thoughts and telling stories, which makes her vulnerable because each song carries her deepest feelings.
Emmy Russell continues to honor her grandmother’s legacy. In 2023, she performed “Memaw’s Guitar” at the Grand Ole Opry as a tribute to Loretta, whom she used to call Memaw.