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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 2016)
‘Never anything else I have ever wanted to do’ First Lady of Country Music’s granddaughter Tayla Lynn to perform with Eric Tingstad Feb. 20 at the Liberty Theater W What do you do with your life if, as a child, in addition to everything other children do, you also took voice lessons, got to know famous musicians, and were constantly surrounded by the best in country music? And from the age of 2 you spent time on the road with your grand- mother? And what if your “Memaw” was born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky, a coal miner’s daughter, and she went on to become the First Lady of Country Music? Well, you might become a country singer just like Memaw, the woman the rest of the world calls Loretta Lynn. “There is never any- thing else I have ever wanted to do,” says Tayla Lynn, her granddaughter. “There has never been a ‘plan B’; it was always music, being a mama, be- ing a wife, and sing.” She’s a wife and mom now, and her singing ca- reer is well on its way. Tayla Lynn was not only raised in the middle of country music, VKH ¿UVW VDQJ RQ VWDJH ZLWK KHU grandmother at the age of 5. Since then, it has become obvious that she inherited a talent for songwriting and a great set of pipes. She’s recorded “Honky Tonk Girl” with Loretta Lynn, who wrote the song, and their genetically matched voices are remarkable. You can hear just how remarkable this Saturday, Feb. 20, at 7:30 p.m. in Astoria’s Liberty Theater, where Tayla Lynn will be performing with Gram- my-winning guitarist Eric Tingstad. Tayla Lynn’s professional career began in 2007 with Stealing Angels, a band that was the result of a reality television show that didn’t happen. Lynn was recruited for “All in the Genes,” a show that was to trace the ups and downs of the descendants of famous peo- ple, along with Caroline Cutbirth, a descen- Submitted photo by Photography By Blush.com Tayla Lynn, granddaughter of Loretta Lynn, will perform Saturday, Feb. 20 at the Liberty Theater in Astoria. dant of Daniel Boone, and Jennifer Wayne, granddaughter of John Wayne. The show never happened, but the three women started singing WRJHWKHUDV6WHDOLQJ$QJHOV,QWKHLU¿UVW single and music video, “He Better Be Dead,” hit 48 on the country chart; the trio broke up in 2012. That was the year Lynn married Jon Finger. Her grandmother’s advice? Tayla says Loretta told her, “Honey, you’re getting old. I’m wor- ried about you having babies.” A baby boy named Tru soon arrived, and not too long there- after mom returned to country music, this time as a single act. Lynn quotes her grandmother telling her, “Country music is about family. It’s based on fami- ly. Always remember that Tayla.” It’s also about the pains and heal- ing of life. Tayla Lynn says, “As a songwriter, you get to tell your pain through your music. When people relate to that, it’s healing. Singing in front of people, it’s a lot like therapy.” Lynn expresses a feeling that she shares with a lot of singer-songwriters: “It only takes that one person, and if you can move that one person then you have done your job right.” The other half of the show is Seattle resident Eric Tingstad. Best known as an accomplished ¿QJHUVW\OH JXLWDULVW 7LQJVWDG KDV UHFRUGHG PRUH WKDQ WZR GR]HQ DOEXPV +LV LQÀXHQFHV include rock, Indian music, classical and Ha- waiian slack-key guitar. His current work uses Americana, blues, country and folk to portray the landscape and regional cultures of America. The combination of Tayla Lynn and Eric Tingstad should cover the musical geography of the nation, from the Southeast to the Northwest. ‘There has never been a ‘plan B’; it was always music.’ Submitted photo Grammy Award-win- ning musician Eric Tingstad will bring his Americana fi n- ger-style guitar to the concert at the Liberty Theater. Tayla Lynn & Eric Tingstad 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20 Liberty Theater 1203 Commercial St., Astoria $25 adults $20 students, seniors and military the arts VISUAL ARTS • LITERATURE • THEATER • MUSIC & MORE Story by DWIGHT CASWELL February 18, 2016 | coastweekend.com | 9
