Celebrity Graveland

September 26, 1947 – July 30, 2015

Lynn Anderson never promised you a rose garden, but – in the end – you got one anyway.

As a young girl, Anderson’s family relocated from California to Nashville when her mother, Liz Anderson, began getting noticed for her songwriting. When she wasn’t singing and performing, Lynn spent her free time with horses. In addition to her career in music, she raised quarter horses and raced them professionally.

Living in Nashville in the ’60s with a mom who was a prolific songwriter had its benefits. Lynn was discovered while singing with her mom at a party and was signed to a record deal. Her first Top 10 hit was 1967’s “If I Kiss You (Will You Go Away)”…which was written by Liz.

More success followed. And quickly. Also in 1967, Lynn was cast on the popular The Lawrence Welk Show where she performed regularly as the program’s first country singer. Despite this visibility, Anderson had trouble convincing Nashville that she was a true country artist. In 1970, her contract was purchased by Columbia Records and she – alongside her husband/producer – charted several hits, including what would become her biggest, “Rose Garden.” The song hit number 1 on the country charts and reached number 3 on the pop charts. More top hits followed and, soon, Anderson found herself one of the best selling female artists of the 1970s.

Throughout her career, Lynn Anderson pushed the envelope on styles. She did pop covers. She appeared on primetime television programs. She did it all.

And then she walked away.

Anderson took a decade-long hiatus to raise her family. When she came back into the industry, she picked up where she left off; recording in varying genres and winning awards. While she remained notable and successful for the rest of her life, Anderson made headlines late in life due to run-ins with the law and her struggles with alcoholism.

Lynn Anderson died at the age of 67 from a heart attack following a bout with pneumonia. While she is interred next to her parents in the mausoleum at Woodlawn, the cemetery also has a memorial, well…rose garden in her honor that fans can visit.

Burial

Woodlawn Memorial Park – Nashville, TN

Specific Location

Cross Mausoleum – Enter the main entrance on the south side of the mausoleum, go left up the flight of stairs, then take your second right, Lynn’s crypt is in the second to last (fourth) alcove on your left, just above head height on the left.

This entry was posted on June 10, 2024 at 5:57 pm and is filed under Woodlawn Memorial Park (TN) with tags Country Musicians, Singers, Woodlawn Memorial Park (TN). You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.