jean ritchie
  
  
    
      
  
  
  
      
  
  
  
    
  
    
        
    
          
              
            
            
            
        June 12, 2015 -
        
  
        Born into a renowned Kentucky ballad-singing family, Ritchie went on to earn fame for preserving old songs and composing original tunes protesting the destructiveness of coal mining. She died earlier this month at age 92.