Nitehawk’s August Country Brunchin’ pays homage to Loretta Lynn with Coal Miner’s Daughter and live pre-show serenade by Lil’ Mo and the Monicats.

She was married at 13. She had four kids by the time she was 20. She’s been hungry and poor. She’s been loved and cheated on. She became a singer because it was the only thing she could do. She became a star because it was the only way she could do it.

We love Loretta! Coal Miner’s Daughter is a biographical film about the life of Loretta Lynn, the legendary country singer whose talented far surpassed her poor upbringing. In an Academy Award Winning performance by Sissy Spacek (as Loretta), the film also stars Tommy Lee Jones as Loretta’s husband (Mooney Lynn) aka the man who believed in her talent. With strife, songs, and tears, the film tracks her rise and her inevitable struggle between family life and a professional career.

Lil’ Mo and the Monicats: There may be bands like Monica Passin’s long-thriving rockabilly outfit in a lot of cities, but hers, popular in NYC in various configurations for about two decades, has the benefit of her fetching, time-warp creating vocals—good for lilting jive, Buddy Holly-like original ‘billy ballads, and blues, too—This latest [album, Whole Lotta Lovin’] features that typical Li’l Mo mix, and reminds us that when there was still a lot of straight country boogie in rock ‘n’ roll, the vocal demands and results were often considerable.  And they still are, here.  – Barry Mazor, Engine 145