Loretta Lynn's Kids: Meet the Singer's Children and Family

Before her death on October 4, 2022, Loretta Lynn was a staple in the country music industry for more than six decades, but the “You Ain’t Woman Enough” artist was a mom long before she ever took the stage. Once she rose to fame in the 1960s, Loretta did the best job raising her six children, Cissie, Ernest, Peggy, Patsy and late kids Betty and Jack.

“Our precious mom, Loretta Lynn, passed away peacefully this morning, October 4th, in her sleep at home in her beloved ranch in Hurricane Mills,” her kids said in a statement obtained by Closer Weekly. Loretta was 90 years old.

The country icon signed her first contract with Zero Records in 1960, which led to the release of her first hit song “I’m A Honky Tonk Girl.” She started her family more than a decade earlier, however, when she tied the knot with her late husband, Oliver Vanetta “Doolittle” Lynn, in 1948. Loretta was just 15 years old at the time.

Despite her young age, the “Fist City” songstress and Oliver, a former mining worker and talent manager, welcomed their first child, Betty, later that year. By age 20, Loretta was the mom of four after giving birth to Jack, Cissie and Ernest. The couple’s youngest kids, twins Peggy and Patsy, were born years later in 1964.

When Loretta and Oliver, who were married up until his death in 1996, experienced parenthood, the Grammy Award winner was staying home with the kids while her hubby worked to make ends meet. After Oliver heard Loretta singing while doing chores around the house, he bought her a $17 Harmony guitar, according to Country Thang Daily.

For years, Loretta taught herself to play guitar, and by the late 1950s, she joined a band called the Trailblazers with her brother Jay Webb. She then appeared during a televised contest in Tacoma, Washington, in 1960, which caught the eye of Zero Records cofounder Norm Burley, who offered her a contract shortly after.

Throughout the years, Loretta’s children watched as their mom paved one of the most acclaimed careers in country music. Because her older children, Betty, Jack, Cissie and Ernest, were already born long before she became a star, Loretta said she “[felt] sorry” for her younger kids, Peggy and Patsy.

“I don’t worry about the older kids,” the “You’re Lookin’ at Country” singer told The Washington Post in May 1980. “They remember what it was like when we were poor. But the twins have always had everything they ever wanted.”

As her kids grew up, they not only embraced their mom’s fame and superstardom, but they pursued their own careers. Betty, Cissie, Ernest, Peggy and Patsy all become country singers and songwriters, while Jack was a successful rancher.

Keep scrolling to learn more about Loretta’s family.

Betty Sue Lynn

Loretta’s first child was born on November 26, 1948. Throughout the years, Betty was her mom’s right-hand woman, who helped write a number of hit songs. Per reports, Betty has songwriting credits for “Wine, Women and Song,” “Before I’m Over You” and “The Home You’re Tearin’ Down.”

In terms of her personal life, Betty was a mom of two kids, Lynn Markworth and Audrey Dyer, as well as the grandma of five grandchildren. Sadly, Betty died at age 64 in July 2013. At the time, Loretta’s publicist said complications from emphysema were the cause of death, according to Taste of Country.

Following the news, Loretta released a statement on Facebook, which read: “The Lynn Family appreciates all your prayers, love, and support of our family’s loss. Betty was Loretta’s oldest daughter. Betty leaves two daughters, Lynn Markworth and Audrey Dyer.”

Jack Benny Lynn

The singer’s second child arrived on December 7, 1949. Though Jack never pursued a career in the entertainment industry like his mom and siblings, he was a talented horse trainer and blacksmith.

Tragically, Jack died in July 1984, while riding his horse on his property in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. In an attempt to cross a river, Jack drowned. According to PBS, Jack was survived by his second wife, Barbara, and their one daughter, as well as two other children from a previous marriage.

Clara “Cissie” Marie Lynn

Loretta’s third child was born on April 7, 1952. Clara, who goes by Cissie, has worked with her mom many times throughout the years, including in 2011 when Loretta helped produce two albums with her daughter and her husband, John Beams.

“Mine is a remake of several of Mom’s old songs. She had asked me if I would do that,” Cissie explained at the time, according to Nashville Music Guide. “I said I was definitely honored to do that.” The second album consists of original songs from her husband, John.

Though Cissie became known for her music, it’s unclear if she and John ever had kids.

Peggy and Patsy Lynn

Loretta’s twins arrived on August 6, 1964. As they grew up, Peggy and Patsy became quite the dynamic duo, performing together throughout the late ’90s. Like their mama, they were working gigs in local bars and restaurants when they were spotted by an exec from Reprise Records.

To this day, their most successful hit is “Woman to Woman,” which was released in 1997. The years following, they were nominated for Vocal Duo of the Year at the 1998 and 1999 CMA Awards.