My mother used to paper pictures from movie magazines on the wall of her bedroom. When I was born, she looked at those pictures to decide on a name for me. Claudette Colbert's picture was up there and so was Loretta Young's. She decided Loretta was the prettiest name, so I was named after her.

Mommy smoked but she didn't want us to. She saw smoke coming out of the barn one time, so we got whipped.

Me and my partner, Conway Twitty, cleaned up at the 1972 Country Music Association Awards.

My biggest hero, Gregory Peck, was my birthday present on April 14, 1973. I just sat and stared at him.

I don't go to church regular. But I pray for answers to my problems.

I loved being outside. We'd hold lightning bugs in our fingers and pretend they were diamond rings.

My life has run from misery to happiness.