“What A Man My Man Is” turned out to be Anderson’s last of her five Billboard #1 singles. It closed out 1974 by reaching the summit of Billboard’s country chart on December 28th, but then the hit supply dried up and it was five years before Lynn reached the Top Ten again with “Isn’t It Always Love,” marking the end of her long string of hits for Columbia.
In the meantime, Anderson’s personal life took precedence over her career. She divorced Sutton in 1977 and married oilman Harold “Spook” Stream the following year. She briefly retired from music to look after her children (one by Sutton, two by Stream) but divorced Stream in 1981.
Finally in 1983 Lynn returned to the music business once again with her album, “Back,” on Permian Records. She insisted that her biggest problem regarding the comeback was credibility. Columbia had put a lot of effort (time and expense) into building her career, only to have her walk away from it. Anderson rightfully understood the hesitation that companies were having with the idea of re-establishing her name.
Lynn did net a final Top Ten single in 1984 in a duet with Gary Morris called “You’re Welcome To Tonight,” but Permian folded and MCA ended up with Anderson’s contract. Promotion there was non-existent, however, and after a short tenure with Mercury Records, her name disappeared from the music charts, although she continued recording for many years afterward.