Tayla Lynn is always thankful to her grandmother, the late country legend Loretta Lynn, for having her experiences as a young girl validated.
During a Thursday, Aug. 1 appearance on the Rooted Recovery Stories podcast, Tayla shared her story about enduring abuse by her stepfather and how her grandmother’s belief in her ended up saving her.
Reflecting on the experience, Tayla mentioned that when she finally decided to escape her stepfather, who had broken her ribs and nose, she went to live with her grandmother. She felt she couldn’t stay and was very scared. Her mother didn’t want to go to her grandmother’s house and went back to him, but Tayla never returned. She added that even now, she thinks people don’t believe her story.
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Tayla remembered that her grandmother and aunt gave her the most beautiful gift by taking pictures of her bruises and telling her they believed her. Although she doesn’t know where those pictures are now, she remembers the act clearly. Whenever she doubts herself, she thinks of them showing her the pictures and reaffirming the truth. Both her grandmother and aunt have passed away, but they stood by her and believed in her.
Custody of Tayla was given to the “Coal Miner’s Daughter” singer when she was 14, which Tayla described as a gift, as it validated that she wasn’t lying. She reflected that sometimes people can convince themselves they’re lying, but being able to look back and know the truth was important.
After escaping her stepfather’s abuse, Tayla experienced her own struggles with addiction and substance abuse. In 2021, she told PEOPLE that her grandmother wouldn’t let her back on the road if she thought Tayla was falling back into addiction. Going on the road with her grandmother was like heaven for Tayla, being on her bus, eating dinner with her, and debriefing about the shows. However, her grandmother wouldn’t allow it if Tayla got into trouble.
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Tayla also mentioned that her grandmother got her into rehab in 1997, though she didn’t get truly sober until July 2004.
Now, Tayla is making music with Tre Twitty, Conway Twitty’s grandson, and they released their first full-length album, Cookin’ Up Lovin’, in April. She told PEOPLE it was exciting to do their own thing while staying true to Conway and Loretta’s legacy. They see themselves as caretakers of the past, carrying the flag for their grandparents’ music and legacy while also writing their own chapters. Tayla is looking forward to the future and the next album and is excited to create their own music.
