Posted on 10/16/2017 2:26:55 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Hi, Linda. It has been 40 years since the release of your hugely successful album Simple Dreams (1). Do you have happy memories of it?
Well, I don’t ever listen to my stuff once I’ve finished it, and I don’t really know what’s on it. I’m not saying it’s a bad record, I’m just saying I can’t remember it. When I listen to all my old stuff, I tend to be horrified.
What do you feel is horrifying about your old stuff?
I feel as if I really started learning how to sing in around 1980. I sang in an operetta on Broadway (2) and I sang American standards – the material just allowed me to extend my range.
So you don’t have a favourite out of the 28 studio albums you have recorded?
I don’t like any of them, but there are moments on some records that I like. The one with Nelson Riddle; the Trio records (3) I did with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris. I made a record with Ann Savoy, the Cajun singer, after I got Parkinson’s disease, and I could barely sing. I had to whisper everything, but that was a really successful record for us – artistically successful (4).
You were diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2012. How has it felt to have the thing that defined you taken away?
Singing was certainly a part of my identity, but it was never the whole thing. It was something I did, but I always felt defined more by where I was from, who my parents were, who my family were and how I interacted with them. Being a successful singer was only a fraction of it.
‘I could call up Emmylou Harris and we would sing together over the phone.’
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
Yeah. She was talented.
Dolly doesn’t mince words about Linda. But they made great records together. Two great talents as is Emmylou Harris.
“Silver Threads and Golden Needles”
Nowhere in all of country music is there anything more country than that.
I can see completely avoiding such whackos as Eminem, Robert De Niro, Rosie O'Donnell, or others like that, but I have to admit that I like a lot of music that comes from sources who hold political and social views which are the exact opposite of mine. I also like the music of some singers who have bizarre personal tastes (like having a boyfriend like Governor Moonbeam).
In addition to physical problems, diseases like Parkinson's also have an effect on people's moods, and their ability to think normally, and distorted thinking and emotions can creep up on a person with that disease gradually. With all that in mind, I took a quick look through youtube to find some songs that Linda Ronstadt did that I personally like, and would like to share with others on here who also like some of Linda's music. Some of these are great old country songs, some are rock, some are big band songs, and some are even songs repurposed to sing to a baby, but I like all of them.
(For those of you who can't stand her, please just skip this post.)
Here are the youtube song links. Hope some of you like them too.
Her family is from Tucson. Grandparents were pioneers in the area if memory serves and her grandfather was some kind of innovator, even her grandmother ( German stock, I think) gave tremendously to our little communiyt. But she never talks about that part of the family. It’s her Mexican heritage that she identities with. Said she could not go back to living in Tucson because the community was not gay friendly enough for her.
BTW her high school picture shows her over-weight and very Hispanic looking. Not the skinny chick that covered for Jerry Brown.
I said, “It’s sad. I didn’t know that. I hope she receives Jesus if she hasn’t yet.” and you came back with Pharisaical accusations? Yours are the stupid remarks.
Karla Bonoff was also a friend of Kenny Edwards who was one of Linda Ronstadt’s producers and bass player...Unfortunately Edwards passed away a few years ago.
Maybe 15 years ago he was a member of a little band that played a few times in our SoCal church...didn’t really appreciate who he was other than that he was an excellent musician. When he died and the articles came out on who he was...I was flabbergasted. If I want to see him now, I just pull up an old Linda Ronstadt video and there he is, up on stage, often along side her. What a guy. What a loss.
“Long, Long Time” from about 1973 was a beautiful record, and her voice was very high-quality then—perfect pitch, strong when she needed it, soft when she didn’t, her phrasing and emotion was amazing...
Mercy Maud! Just spent a magical hour or so listening to JD Souther on youtube because of your mention. Great! A new find for me. Thank you so much.
If you like JD, you may enjoy Matraca Berg who is in the Country Music Songwriters Hall of Fame and authored many, many superb songs for other singers.
Matraca Berg & JD Souther: “Faithless Love” (live 1991)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtr0jlTK0pA
Matraca Berg “You And Tequila”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn5sGObZ3zA
My favorite Matraca Berg album: “The Dreaming Fields”
https://www.amazon.com/Dreaming-Fields-Matraca-Berg/dp/B004S3ATZG/ref=ice_ac_b_dpb_twi_aud_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1508233150&sr=1-1&keywords=Matraca+Berg
“The Dreaming Fields” - live
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6Acy_78Zhs
Well said. I don’t judge performers by their politics. I learned that a long time ago when my mother banned Chaplin movies from being watched at home. A great artist not allowed in our house!
Linda has a beautiful voice, made some great albums, and has been dealt a terrible hand with Parkinson’s. A truly evil disease. And for some to mention that she dared to get old and fat! What have they accomplished in their lives?
Thanks for sharing that!
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