On This Day in 1961, Loretta Lynn Signed Her First Major Label Deal with Decca Records

On this day (September 3) in 1961, Loretta Lynn signed with Decca Records, one of the most prominent record labels of the day. The deal came after Lynn self-released her first few singles. She would remain on the label for more than a decade.

Lynn started her journey to country music stardom in Washington state. There, she performed in small clubs with a local band before forming her own band. Her performances caught the attention of Zero Records out of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She recorded her first few singles—“I’m a Honky Tonk Girl,” “Heartaches Meet Mr. Blues,” and “The Darkest Day” with Zero. The first of the three hit No. 14 on the Billboard country charts, earning her a spot on the Grand Ole Opry. More importantly, it put her on the radar of the Wilburn Brothers, a popular vocal duo signed to Decca, according to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

[RELATED: Watch a Young Loretta Lynn Perform Her First No. 1 Single “Don’t Come Home a-Drinkin’” With Bill Monroe]

Soon, Teddy and Doyle Wilburn added Lynn to their road show and made her a part of their syndicated TV show. Not long after that, Doyle helped Lynn get out of her contract with Zero and convinced Decca to ink a deal with her. Less than a week after signing with the label, Lynn had her first Decca recording session in which she would cut her first singles for the label.

Lynn was on Decca for more than two years before the release of her debut album Loretta Lynn Sings. She would go on to release 24 studio albums with the label between 1963 and 1972 starting with her debut and ending with Here I Am Again in 1972.

Loretta Lynn Sees Success on Decca Records

Loretta Lynn released some of her most memorable songs while signed with Decca Records. She released her first No. 1 single, “Don’t Come Home a-Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)” in 1966. She followed the success of that track with hits like “Fist City,” “One’s on the Way,” and “You’re Lookin’ at Country.” Additionally, Lynn released her autobiographical signature song “Coal Miner’s Daughter” while signed to Decca.

Her single for Decca was the No. 3 hit, “Here I Am Again,” the title track from her final album with the label. The next year, she would release Entertainer of the Year, her first album with MCA Records.

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