Carrie Underwood Recalls Her Sassy First Meeting With Loretta Lynn

Loretta Lynn was a trailblazer in country music and a woman who opened many doors for other females in the industry. After leaning of Lynn's death on Tuesday, Oct. 4, Carrie Underwood expressed her gratitude for the path the legend carved. She also shared her first encounter with Lynn in a hilarious story.

"The first time I met Loretta Lynn was at the Grand Ole Opry at beginning of my career," Underwood recounts. "I was chatting in the corner with another artist and someone walked behind me and smacked me on the rear end! I turned around and there she was ... in a big sparkly dress ... laughing as she continued to walk down the hall at what she had just done ..."

"This is one of my most favorite stories to tell," she continues. "I think it sums up her personality pretty well. She was a cantankerous little pistol ... friendly and sweet ... never afraid to be herself and speak her mind."

The "Cry Pretty" singer also drives home how unique Lynn was and that no one will be able to fill her shoes.

"She is irreplaceable. She will be incredibly missed ... but her legacy lives on in those of us whom she has influenced," Underwood shares. "I am truly grateful to have known such an amazing woman and artist. Thank you, Loretta, for showing us how it’s done."

"May you Rest In Peace in the arms of Jesus and add your heavenly voice to the angel choir. Love you," she adds.

Underwood has covered a few of Lynn's songs in her career: She performed 'You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Man)" at the 2020 ACM Awards and put her own spin on "You're Looking at Country" for the 2010 album Coal Miner's Daughter: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn. She performed the latter at the Grand Ole Opry, for Lynn.

In 2021, the Oklahoma native was featured on the title track for Loretta Lynn's album Still Woman Enough alongside Lynn and Reba McEntire.

Loretta Lynn died peacefully in her sleep, per her family. She was 90.

"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 family said in a statement.