Loretta Lynn’s granddaughter says ‘American Idol’ judges made her ‘so mad’ by asking her to do grandma’s song
During an appearance on “The Thrivalist Podcast,” the country singer revealed that while it wasn’t her idea to sing “Coal Miner’s Daughter” during the competition show, she didn’t walk away with any regrets.
“Judges picked three songs, and the only one I knew was ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter,'” Russell said of then-judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie. “I just remember seeing that and I was… so mad.”
Emmy Russell performed her grandmother Loretta Lynn’s iconic song, “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” during her stint on “American Idol” last year. (Getty Images)
Fearful of “nepotism” backlash from viewers, Russell said she had a feeling that the song would only fuel the fire. However, she carried on and pushed forward with the performance.
“I just felt that still, small voice saying, ‘I need you to stay, and I need you to show up,'” she said. “And I got on the piano and I played ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ for the vocal coaches. It was just how I wanted to play it. I had this entire vision for it.”
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Lynn, who died in 2022 at age 90, had 17 grandchildren and four step-grandchildren.
Russell, who made the Top 5 before being eliminated, opened up about her love for music.
Russell made it to the Top 5 in the competition show. (Disney/Eric McCandless)
“I’m a songwriter,” the young singer said in a video that was featured on “American Idol.” “It’s in my blood. When I was about 9, I wrote my first real song.”
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“Whenever you share a song, it’s very vulnerable. Anything I feel, I write. It just starts coming out of me. I go to my iPhone and my piano – it is my best friend whenever it comes to music. I feel a melody, I go to my iPhone, record it. A lyric, go to it, record it.”
At the time of her appearance, Russell was no stranger to the limelight. Lynn would often bring her granddaughter on stage when she still did concerts.
Emmy Russell performs during an “American Idol” live show. (American Idol/ABC)
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During an appearance on Southern Living’s “Biscuits & Jam” podcast, Russell said, “Memaw [her name for Lynn] passed down her guitar to me when I was 15 at the Ryman Auditorium. She said, ‘You’re the one that can do it.’ She always thought I had this spark about me ever since I was a little kid. She felt she needed to give me the guitar as the torch in a way.”
“Lord knows it if I can’t hold that. That’s too much,” she added.
