Nation legend Loretta Lynn’s granddaughter, Emmy Russell, didn’t essentially need to carry out her grandmother’s iconic track whereas showing on “American Idol” final yr.
Throughout an look on “The Thrivalist Podcast,” the nation singer revealed that whereas it wasn’t her concept to sing “Coal Miner’s Daughter” throughout the competitors present, she didn’t stroll away with any regrets.
“Judges picked three songs, and the only one I knew was ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter,’” Russell mentioned of then-judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie. “I just remember seeing that and I was… so mad.”
Afraid of “nepotism” backlash from viewers, Russell mentioned she had a sense that the track would solely gasoline the fireplace. Nevertheless, she carried on and pushed ahead with the efficiency.
“I just felt that still, small voice saying, ‘I need you to stay, and I need you to show up,’” she mentioned. “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.”
Fox Information Digital has reached out to “American Idol” for remark.
Lynn, who died in 2022 at age 90, had 17 grandchildren and 4 step-grandchildren.
Russell, who made the High 5 earlier than being eradicated, opened up about her love for music.
“I’m a songwriter,” the younger singer mentioned 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.”
“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.”
On the time of her look, Russell was no stranger to the limelight. Lynn would typically carry her granddaughter on stage when she nonetheless did concert events.
Throughout an look on Southern Residing’s “Biscuits & Jam” podcast, Russell mentioned, “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.
