Loretta Lynn To Receive Presidential Medal of Freedom
On Thursday (8/8), President Barack Obama named 16 individuals as recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, including country music legend Loretta Lynn. The award is the the highest civilian honor in the nation and is presented to people who have made “especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”
The awards will be presented later this year at the White House. This year also marks the 50th Anniversary of the award, established by John F. Kennedy. “The Presidential Medal of Freedom goes to men and women who have dedicated their own lives to enriching ours,” President Obama said in a statement. “This year’s honorees have been blessed with extraordinary talent, but what sets them apart is their gift for sharing that talent with the world.”
Lynn is one of the first and most successful female country music vocalists. Her previous awards include the Kennedy Center Honors in 2003 and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.
Those also recognized alongside Lynn include Oprah Winfrey, President Bill Clinton and late astronaut Sally Ride. For more information about Lynn and the other nominees, click HERE.
