Sammen med otte andre kunstnere har Texas-R&B-kunstnere Barbara Lynn modtaget den prestigefyldte hæder National Heritage Fellowship. Der er tale om den fornemste hæder for udøvere af folkelig og traditionel kunst og hæderen er livsvarig. Årligt nomineres i omegnen af 200, men kun en lille snes bliver hæderen tildelt. I omtalen af Barbara Lynn skriver giverne bl.a.:

Since 1962, Barbara Lynn has been at the vanguard of Texas R&B music. Deemed “The Empress of Gulf Coast Soul,” Lynn is known for her fiery guitar style, soulful singing voice, and original songwriting. One of the first left-handed female guitarists to appear on television and radio, she uses a thumb pick to play percussive-like lead melodies and strum rhythm lines simultaneously. Her contributions to the traditional musical heritage of her home state of Texas and the United States are vast within the blues and R&B genres, as well as the music industry as a whole. Her music blends a variety of blues styles, including straight-ahead blues, Texas blues, R&B, soul, and sounds unique to the Gulf Coast and Louisiana/Texas border. She has influenced a younger generation of musicians, including Marcia Ball and Lou Ann Barton.