Linda Ronstadt

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After watching Part 2 of Laurel Canyon last night is struck me that I've never really listened to Linda Ronstadt. Actually, out of all the "second wave" of Laurel Canyon artists, in the early 70s, she's the only one for whom I don't even have an album. Jackson Browne, Flying Burrito Brothers, The Eagles, Bonnie Raitt,I have all them, but no Ronstadt.

I asked my partner what happened to her. Her guess was that she moved to Christian rock. I looked her up. She's one of the top grossing female rock acts in history, has 10 Grammys, a Tony, and a ton of other awards. She retired a while back because her voice was shot.

Over the years she's not someone that people I knew listened to (my father had a few albums, though), and I don't remember her ever coming up in conversation. 

I'm thinking that she's worth listening to. Where's a good place to start?

Watch the documentary

Also never listened to her but the doc was great. Really too bad about her voice. Very interesting women. 

What channel is the doc on?

I've listened to most of her albums.  The Stone Poneys records are great and remind me more of Fairport Convention's approach to Folk-Rock than any other American group of the era.  Her first three solo albums, Hand-Sewn, Home-Grown, Silk Purse and her self-titled album are all definitive singer-songwriter Country-Rock records from the classic Laurel Canyon era.  Her next group of records, Don't Cry Now, Heart Like A Wheel, Prisoner In Disguise and Hasten Down The Wind find her bringing increasing electric textures to her sound and collaborating heavily with the core members of Little Feat.  Heart Like A Wheel and Hasten Down The Wind are two of my favorites of hers.  Her next album, Living In The U.S.A. was her biggest commercial breakthrough.  It's poppier and rocks harder than anything she had done to that point.  She followed that up with a couple of albums experimenting with the New Wave and Power Pop sounds that were in vogue in the late '70s, Mad Love and Get Closer.  After that I mostly checked out on her career.  I struggle with Jazz/Pop Vocal records in general, and particularly the heavily orchestrated albums she started pumping out in the '80s.  It was a successful transition for her into the Adult Contemporary market, but not my cup of tea.  Two exceptions were her albums of traditional Mexican music, Canciones De Mi Padre and Mas Canciones, which are great.  One thing's for sure, she had an amazing voice, and worked with a dizzying array of top-shelf musicians and producers.

Thanks, Dave. I'll check out a few of those albums.

That Hollywood reunion concert on pbs

BLEW MY MIND

killer band

and she is mind blowing. A sacrificed a few tears in wonder and awe

her writing and interpretation and passion and VOICE

 

this album might be worth checking out 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_in_Hollywood_(Linda_Ronstadt_album)

Sweet musicians

damn I love pedal steel 

She pretty much specialized in covers. Her studio albums imo are rather "70's Gold" in tone, but watch her live covering Willin' and you get the idea of what an incredible talent she is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMP8JsV7wbg

 

Linda has Parkinson's disease. There are two types, one you can live with for years with little disability and one that knocks shit out of you. My mom had the bad kind, she was a speech and hearing teacher who couldn't speak well anymore, much like a singer who can't sing anymore.

The national honors were awarded to her this year, nice singing tributes done by various stars. Can be found on YouTube and the streaming. 

 

I forgot to mention the Trios and Trios II albums she did with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris which are both solid returns to Country-Rock.

She also has some nice guest appearances, most notably Neil Young's Heart Of Gold.  She has some great stuff from the Lowell George Tribute Concert shortly after his death that you can hear on Little Feat's  Hoy-Hoy collection.

>>>What channel is the doc on?

It's 99 cents to rent on Prime. I don't think it is anywhere free yet

"The Sound of My Voice." GREAT documentary. You'll have a full understanding of her amazing talent after you watch that. 

What Slick said ^.

Here's the trailer and some videos. It was on CNN for free twice on New Year's Day. A lot of Zoners heard about it. 

https://bestclassicbands.com/linda-ronstadt-documentary-cnn-12-5-199/

I saw Linda open for Neil Young at the Phoenix Coliseum where he recorded "Don't Be Denied" for the "Time Fades Away" album. She was from Tucson. 

I remember they didn't turn off all the lights in the back of the arena and she heard the people complaining. She said from the stage "Maybe they don't want you smokin' pot back there."    

Don't Cry Now

Heart Like a Wheel

Prisoner in Disguise

 

Saw her open for Neil Young and the Stray Gators at the Spectrum on January 26, 1973.  The next day President Nixon signed the Paris Peace Accords.

 

A great voice, but although I could never put a finger on exactly why, I've never been a fan.

Plus, I had a bad experience at one of her concerts and it left a bad impression.

She's a bit of a prima-donna.

Unbelievably talented singer. And an incredibly beautiful person inside and out.

Neil Loves her as much as I do. 
YouTube her live shoes 

She's good. Always remember liking when my mom played her. 

, >>>>>Heart Like A Wheel, Prisoner In Disguise

 

Her two best.

Used to see her back in th e 70s on the E. coast.

One time in Boston, the power went out.

She finished the tune unaccompanied and un-amplified. Nobody there had any trouble hearing her.  

She had one of the great voices in country rock. Such a tragedy that it was silenced by Parkinson's.

There are two types of men - 

those that have a crush on Linda, and those who don't know who she is.

LindaRonstadtListMain_0.jpg

All her muppet appearances are phenomenal.

I've Got A Crush On You - Muppett Show
https://youtu.be/BOuPyJQgHBk

When I Grow Too Old To Dream -  the muppet show
https://youtu.be/pQaeg582kRQ

Extraordinary talent, as evidenced by her operatic singing beginning at the 34:00 minute mark and going for 5 minutes in this link.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGzv4vufN-k

Here's a recent story about it: https://www.wideopencountry.com/linda-ronstadt-the-sound-of-my-voice/      Things We Learned From 'Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice'

I have a few Ronstadt favorites, including "Long Long Time".   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0qm8nq8RcA&list=RDA0qm8nq8RcA&start_rad...

Raz, on that You Tube link just above, someone attributes that quote to Willie Nelson.

Someday I'm gonna buy that album of old standards she did with Nelson Riddle.  

Our neighbors up the street would play Linda, Leon Russell, Kris Kristoferson & Joe Cocker all the time.

also, a lot of early/mid-seventies 'Star is Born' era Barbara Streisand. 

As a teenager in the mid-70s, I liked Ronstadt's voice, but I loved her album covers.

5de9d5be49b99_138624b.jpg

 

Hey Brian, I forgot to mention her 1977 album Simple Dreams, which is definitely worth checking out.  It contains three of her biggest hits, It's So Easy, Blue Bayou, and the Warren Zevon penned Poor Poor Pitiful Me, as well as some tasty covers of another great Zevon heroin tune, Carmelita, and the Rolling Stones Tumbling Dice.

The famous Rolling Stone picture....

Linda.jpg

"A female rock star worthy of our fantasies".