Loretta Lynn Reveals the 7 Actresses Who Betrayed Her and Stole Her Crown

At 90 years old, Loretta Lynn, the Queen of Country Music, finally broke her silence, revealing the names of seven women who had wronged her throughout her legendary career. These weren’t just industry rivals or fleeting competitors—these were the ghosts who haunted her, the women who tried to take her throne, mock her, or hurt her in ways that were often hidden from the public eye. For the first time, Loretta names the faces behind the whispers, and the result is a heartbreaking and shocking confession that exposes the cost of fame, ambition, and loyalty in the world of country music.

The Betrayal of Johnny Cash: The Man Who Was Supposed to Protect Her

Loretta Lynn’s first name is one that has long haunted her: Johnny Cash. Once, she called him a brother in the Lord, and the two shared a deep friendship and a gospel bond. But in 1978, Cash’s betrayal struck deep when he had Loretta’s appearance on a nationally televised gospel special canceled at the last minute. Despite their shared history and the trust Loretta had placed in him, Cash believed her outspoken views were too controversial for the gospel stage. For Loretta, who had risked her entire career by singing about controversial topics like birth control and battered women, this felt like a personal betrayal that she could never forgive.

Although Cash later sent a handwritten apology in 1983, Loretta locked it away, never to speak of it again. “Some ghosts don’t rest easy,” she said, leaving no room for doubt about the emotional toll this betrayal took on her.

Reba McEntire: The Rival Who Stole Her Crown

Second on Loretta’s list was the woman she felt had stolen her crown: Reba McEntire. Reba’s rise to fame in the 1980s, crowned as the “new queen of country,” was something Loretta could never accept. When Country Music Magazine declared Reba the fresh face of country music in 1983, Loretta didn’t hold back, angrily snapping, “I ain’t even cold yet.” But what truly severed the connection between them was when Reba performed Loretta’s iconic song, You Ain’t Woman Enough to Take My Man, at the 1987 CMA Awards. The crowd’s adoration of Reba’s performance was the final straw for Loretta, who felt her legacy was being hijacked.

Loretta’s resentment toward Reba only grew from there, with reports of Loretta saying, “I don’t clap for thieves,” when Reba passed her backstage. For Loretta, Reba wasn’t just a rival—she symbolized an industry trying to push her out in favor of a polished, packaged version of country music that Loretta never believed in.

Conway Twitty: The Duet Partner Who Took the Spotlight

Next, Loretta revealed the name of her once-beloved duet partner, Conway Twitty. Though the two were celebrated as a country music duo, their on-stage chemistry was marred by Conway’s ego. After their massive hit Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man in 1973, Loretta began to feel overshadowed by Conway’s self-promotion, with the media constantly highlighting his “magic” with her, never giving her the credit she deserved. Conway’s comment that “she just follows my lead” in interviews was the tipping point for Loretta, who was fiercely independent and hated being treated like a sidekick.

Their relationship reached a breaking point in 1979, when, after Conway joked about her age in an interview, Loretta refused to take the stage at their performance. From that moment on, she never spoke to him again. “You can’t sing harmony with an ego,” she reportedly said, and Loretta’s silence towards Conway became a legendary part of her feud with him.

Tammy Wynette: The Rival Who Played the Victim

Loretta’s tension with Tammy Wynette stemmed not just from rivalry, but from what Loretta perceived as a façade. While Tammy became the image of country music’s “good wife” with her anthem Stand By Your Man, Loretta found her music and image to be a betrayal of the real struggles women face. Loretta had always written about the raw realities of life—cheating husbands, birth control, the strength of women—but Tammy’s softer, more submissive image did not sit well with her.

At the 1970 CMA Awards, Tammy won Female Vocalist of the Year and, during her speech, thanked the Lord for keeping her humble. Loretta, seated in the audience, rolled her eyes and muttered, “She’s humble like a fox in a fur coat.” That moment ignited a deep rivalry, and Loretta refused to collaborate with Tammy on any projects thereafter, famously stating, “I don’t share a mic with someone who plays weak just to sell records.”

Olivia Newton-John: The Pop Star Who Took Her Spot

Olivia Newton-John’s crossover into country music in the 1970s didn’t sit well with Loretta, who had clawed her way up from humble beginnings. When Olivia won CMA Female Vocalist of the Year in 1974, Loretta was incensed. “What’s next? The Beatles winning best bluegrass?” she famously remarked, unable to accept that a pop star was being crowned in country music. To Loretta, Olivia’s polished image was the antithesis of real country music, which she believed came from the dirt and struggles of everyday life.

Loretta’s distaste for Olivia only grew as Olivia spoke about bringing country music into the mainstream. Loretta saw it as disrespectful. “We don’t need saving. We need respect,” she said, drawing a hard line between her authenticity and Olivia’s image.

Crystal Gayle: The Sister Who Forgot Her Roots

The deepest wound of all came from Loretta’s own sister, Crystal Gayle. Though the two shared the same Kentucky roots, Crystal’s transformation into a pop-country crossover star in the late 1970s caused a rift between them. When Crystal’s Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue hit number one in 1977, Loretta felt overshadowed, and when Crystal failed to show up at Loretta’s 60th birthday tribute in 1992, the betrayal was complete.

Loretta was devastated by Crystal’s absence and later revealed that the absence of family at such an important moment in her life cut deeper than any professional rivalry. “You show up for family unless you’ve forgotten where you came from,” she confided.

Loretta’s Legacy: A Queen Who Refused to Be Silent

Loretta Lynn’s story is one of triumph, pain, and resilience. Behind the grittiness of her songs about real life—about hardship, love, and women’s strength—was a woman who faced personal battles, rivalries, and betrayals that shaped her career. Loretta never sought perfection, and she never shied away from telling the truth. She wasn’t just country music’s queen; she was the voice of authenticity in an industry too often driven by image and illusion.

While Loretta’s grudges are part of her story, they serve as a reminder of the fierce determination it took for her to rise to the top in an industry that often overlooked women. She wasn’t just a symbol of country music; she was a woman who fought for her voice and for what was right, even when it meant standing alone.

Her legacy endures not just in her music, but in the courage she showed to be unapologetically herself, no matter the cost.