The country music icon Loretta Lynn tragically died in her sleep at the age of 90 in October of last year. While walking the red carpet at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday night, Lynn’s granddaughter Emmy Russell revealed the powerful piece of godly advice that her grandmother gave her before her passing.
‘Love God’
“The most advice that she has given me throughout the years was to love God,” Russell told Fox News. “She was such a lover of God and I think it was more of, ‘Listen to him and follow his voice.’”
Russell went on to say that she wants Lynn to be remembered as an “ordinary country girl” who was “everybody’s friend.”
“There was nothing fake,” she added.
Along with Lukas Nelson, Russell was nominated for CMT Performance of the Year for their song “Lay Me Down,” which came from “Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Celebration of the Life and Music of Loretta Lynn.” Though the award ended up going to Cody Johnson for “‘Til You Can’t,” Russell said that performing at her grandmother’s tribute was “special.”
“That was my first time getting in front of people and not seeing her,” she said. “It was really honoring, I felt a presence, like maybe her presence was there. It was really special.”
Russell intends to further her grandmother’s legacy by continuing to perform in the country music genre, which she said fans love because “it’s honest.”
“It can make you cry, it can make you laugh, it can make you feel good,” she concluded. “It’s very truthful.”
Lynn’s Final Easter
Last year, just after she turned 90, Lynn celebrated what turned out to be her final Easter by opening up about her strong Christian faith.
“My faith means a lot to me,” Lynn said in a video posted to her Instagram page. “If it wasn’t for God, none of us would be here. Jesus is my friend. I keep hold of his hand and I don’t let loose. If I ever let loose, well, I hope he grabs me because I’ll be lost.”
Lynn then talked about how much it means to her that Jesus died for our sins.
“Oh my, it hurts. I won’t be able to tell him much I appreciate what he did,” she continued. “There’s no way you can repay Jesus for what he done. There’s just no way. You just have to show him how much you love him, and I think that’s the way we all have to repay him. It’s in your actions.”
Related: Loretta Lynn Is Heartbroken By Civil Unrest In America – ‘We Need God Right Now’
‘When I Think About Easter…’
Lynn captioned the video by writing, “When I think about Easter I think about the incredible beauty of real love.”
“Love that gives when it doesn’t have to. Love that gives even when it doesn’t receive,” she continued. “It’s what Christ did for us. I think of hope and redemption and forgiveness. There aren’t words to share how thankful I am for all God has done for me.”
Lynn died “peacefully” in her sleep on October 4, 2022, but she will always live on through the beautiful music that she left behind. While she is dearly missed, we can all take comfort in knowing that she is with Jesus now.
Rest in peace, Loretta Lynn.
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