"I'm a Honky Tonk Girl" is the debut single by American country music artist Loretta Lynn, released in March 1960.

She composed the song while living in Washington State, maintaining her role as a housewife and occasional member of a local country music band.

"I'm a Honky Tonk Girl" has since received positive praise from music critics and writers alike, who have credited the song as being one of her signature tunes.

Lynn was inspired to compose "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl" from a woman she met while performing in a club in Washington state.

[2][3] Lynn then wrote the song while leaning up against her home's bathroom toilet seat in twenty minutes, using a seventeen dollar guitar that her husband bought her as an anniversary present.

"[2] Lynn was given the opportunity to record "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl" by Norm Burley, who heard her sing on a local television show.

Additional musicians on the song's recording were Roy Lanham, (originally thought bass was played by Al Williams but per the session contract (L47) it was Red Wootten), Muddy Berry, and Harold Hensley.

Lynn recounted the story in the 2003 book, Finding Her Voice: The History of Women in Country Music: "We were pitiful...Because we were too poor to stay in hotels, we slept in the car and ate baloney and cheese sandwiches in the parks...Then we'd go into the radio station and pester the DJ to play my record.

Paul Zollo of American Songwriter commented that the song "reflected country life as it was really lived" and that it helped the public "fall in love" with her artistry.

[11] Country music artist Ernest Tubb was also impressed by the single and invited Lynn to perform on his syndicated Midnite Jamboree program.

The film specifically-chronicled how the Lynn's self-promoted "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl" by traveling to individual radio stations and convincing programmers to play the record.

Robert K. Oermann of Finding Her Voice: The History of Women in Country Music called the story of "Honky Tonk Girl"'s promotion "astonishing".

[17] Kurt Wolff of the book Country Music: The Rough Guide commented that the Lynn's "adopted a grassroots approach" when releasing the single.

Actress Sissy Spacek recorded a version of "Honky Tonk Girl" for Lynn's 1980 film biopic Coal Miner's Daughter.

[21] Country artist Miranda Lambert performed "Honky Tonk Girl" live in tribute to Lynn at the Grand Ole Opry in 2013.