song has a basic chord progression of G–D–A–D but is in the key of C#. She later explained why the song was written in this key, "They told me in Nashville they couldn't believe it, what you’re writing! All your keys are funny. ‘Cause they wrote D, G and A, you know. I was going out on a limb a little bit, but I didn't realize that. I started playing rhythm guitar with my brother and a steel player when I first started singing. And I played barre chord rhythm. I had all sorts of notes on the guitar at that time, now I probably wouldn't remember all of them." Recording 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. Impressed by the composition, he gave money to Lynn and her husband to take a trip to Los Angeles, California and record the song. One of Burley's business partners was Canadian producer Don Grashey, who had founded the California label Zero Records and signed her to the label. Lynn's husband Oliver Lynn arranged for studio musician Speedy West to play on the recording. West then sought out several other California country musicians to join him on the song's session. "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl" was officially recorded in February 1960 at the Western Recorders Studio and was produced by Don Grashey. Speedy West accompanied the session by playing steel guitar. 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. Release and reception "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl" was issued in March 1960 as a 7" single via Zero Records. Its B-side was another self-penned song by Lynn, "Whispering Sea". The song was her debut single and became a success due in large part to the independent promotion of Lynn and her husband. Oliver Lynn mailed out 3,500 copies along with a photograph of her that he took to country music stations across the United States, but did not hear back from any of them. By the summer of 1960, Lynn and her husband decided to use their own car to drive to every radio station to promote the record. Lynn recounted the story in the 2003 book, Finding Her Voice: The History