After a decade of motherhood, Loretta Lynn began performing her own songs, singing in local clubs. In 1960, at the age of 28, Lynn signed a contract with Zero Records and released her first song titled "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl." Lynn and her husband relentlessly promoted the single. Their payoff would be a song that hit No. 14 on the country music charts. Lynn's distinctive voice attracted the attention of the Wilburn Brothers, who asked her to tour with them. She and her family would move to Nashville shortly thereafter (via PBS). 

Lynn recalled the tough times she and her husband experienced as they tried to get her career off of the ground. "And I walked in one station and there was my record down in the garbage can. The deejay said, 'I don't know. I've never heard you sing.' And 'I don't know if this record's any good or not.' And I told him, I said, 'Well, like you probably won't ever find out 'cause it's laying in the garbage can!'" (via PBS).

Backed by her brother Jay, Loretta took Music City by storm, earning a contract as a Decca recording artist and a spot on the "Grand Ole Opry" (via Country Music Hall of Fame).