Who was the coal miner behind the song “Coal Miner’s Daughter”? We know about his daughters, but just who was Ted Webb?
Ted Webb, the father of country music legends Loretta Lynn and Crystal Gayle, was a figure rooted in the heart of Appalachian coal country. Born in 1906 in Van Lear, Kentucky, Ted was a man of resilience, shaped by the rugged mountain life and the struggles that came with working the coal mines.
He married Clara Marie Ramey in 1925, and together they raised eight children, including Loretta and Crystal, in the harsh realities of coal camp life. Ted was a coal miner—a hard, dangerous job that defined much of Appalachia during the early 20th century. Coal mining was more than just a livelihood; it was a way of life, and like many Appalachian men, Ted toiled deep underground, knowing that his family's survival depended on his labor.
Ted Webb’s impact on his daughters went beyond just providing for them. His deep love of music had a lasting influence, especially on Loretta. Ted would often sing old-time country and bluegrass songs, and it was through this exposure that Loretta, and later Crystal, developed their own passion for music. Despite the hard life in the coal mines, Ted’s musical spirit lived on in his children, creating a legacy that would ultimately reshape country music.
Although the Webbs lived in extreme poverty, they had a tight-knit family, and Ted’s pride in his daughters’ success was evident. Loretta Lynn’s autobiographical song Coal Miner’s Daughter immortalized Ted Webb and the life of Appalachia’s working class. The song paints a vivid picture of their home in Butcher Holler, Kentucky, where the family struggled but found joy in their love for one another and the music that kept them going.
Ted passed away in 1959, just as Loretta was starting her career in music. Though he never lived to see his daughters rise to international fame, his influence is woven through their work. He was the embodiment of the Appalachian spirit—strong, proud, and determined in the face of adversity. Ted Webb’s life, though grounded in the coalfields of Kentucky, left an indelible mark on country music through the voices of his daughters, who carried the story of Appalachia to the world.
His story sounds so familiar, like it could come from any of ten thousand Appalachian families. Quite a man and quite a family, don’t ya think?
Source: Facebook - Kimmi Jones
Happy Heavenly Birthday Papa May 27, 1914 - July 19, 1981, my coal mining Papa, Blue Diamond Mine, South Eastern Kentucky. He would be 111 years old today. He passed from complications of Black Lung Disease and Lung Cancer the day after my oldest daughters birthday. Rest in heavenly peace my dear, sweet Papa.
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