Posted on 09/05/2019 9:50:53 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
At her concerts, Linda Ronstadt used to imagine that audience members were whispering to one another about what a terrible singer she was. She was an unusual rock star in several ways. Few others were as careful about keeping their distance from the insanity, and fewer turned away from arena adulation and the pop charts to do standards, operetta, and Mexican folk songs.
Ronstadt was the most spectacular female singer of the rock era, her voice a thing of astonishing clarity and power and color. Due respect is here, in the documentary Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice. What she did with a song like Hurt So Bad or How Do I Make You could blast you backwards into a reverse somersault, like a Peanuts character. Yet she was near her peak when she walked away from rock. Today shes 73 and cant sing, at least not in public: Parkinsons.
Directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, this restrained and respectful film tells the story the way Ronstadt evidently wants it told (no mention of famous boyfriends and no mention that she never married). Ronstadt looks back on her upbringing just north of the border in Tucson, where her German-Mexican dad sang Spanish songs to her in a lovely baritone. As a kid, she thought Spanish was for singing and English was for speaking; at the time, Mexican-American kids were often discouraged from speaking Spanish. When a Tucson friend moved to L.A. when she was a teen, she joined up with him and another musician to form the Stone Poneys. A folky song they did in clubs, Different Drum, was reworked and heavily produced in the studios of Capitol Records to showcase her voice, and the single launched her career in 1967, when she was 21.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
Would love to hevw heard Roy Orbison and Ronstadt do a duo of BLUE BAYOU.
I always loved this one by her...
Silver Threads and Golden Needles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO_x62UaOD8
I’ve kept a few of her vinyl albums, and not just for the covers!
It’s been awhile since I’ve played them, but there’s YouTube for that.
One album has a 30-second song stuck in. It’s a very sad song about a rodeo horse who’s retired to riding kiddies “for a dime”.
This is still my favorite song that she sang. Written by Warren Zevon, and with the great Waddy Wachtel on lead guitar.
Linda Ronstadt - Poor Poor Pitiful Me
‘I wouldnt have recognized her right off.’
the one I liked was Maria Muldaur; yeah her signature tune was incredibly stupid, but was she hot singing it...but do yourself a favor, and don’t look at her current photos...
In general, and not just for LR but all performers, if I pay my money to be entertained by her talent, giving me a political lecture in the middle of a show that I paid for is cheating me. If she wants to spout politics she should do it on her own time and dime.
Carly Simon was better and sexier.
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/linda-ronstadt-has-found-another-voice
The singer on living with Parkinsons, the perils of stardom, and mourning what the border has become.
By Michael SchulmanSeptember 1, 2019
Zevon’s versions of Zevon’s songs set the standard for Zevon’s songs.
“Not everything is political, you idiots...”
You are absolutely correct Bob! You have to wonder why some folks can’t seem to separate the two, and we are worse off as a Country because of that.
I can't recall the year, probably still in the 1970s.
Historically, this was the first time in my life when every celebrity and politician in the country decided to become a member of some ethnic group instead of being an American.
Bottom Line - I am not a fan of Mexican music, and I do not recall ever watching a Ronstadt music video or Ronstadt TV appearance again.
And the birth of the Eagles
I had no idea they were related. David Lindley is an amazing performer.
I had no idea they were related. David Lindley is an amazing performer.
Smashed her CD sometime during the Bush administration.
Wow, I did not know she sang opera. Note: The Major General song from PoP is one of my favorite songs.
Had all her albums until she went Spanish.
Why do people steal albums?
Aww crap, yall...Now I got a Blue Bayou ear worm.
::sigh:: what a beautiful talent.
“Ronstadt was the most spectacular female singer of the rock era.”
“I contend that the most spectacular female singer of the rock era was Etta James.”
You’re both wrong. It was Janis Joplin. For sure.
I saw her once in concert I’m guessing 1967. Her song “Different Drum” was popular on the radio at the time.
I can’t recall who the headliner was, but The Stone Ponies, featuring Linda Ronstadt, was one of several back up bands.
Shirley Ellis, “The Name Game” lady was another.
I fell in love with Linda that night. She was my favorite female artist for many years. My favorite Linda Ronstadt song is “Long Long Time”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKAtM9xS-fA
Then, she went weird musically, got fat, and lost her voice (literally).
I was crushed! I had to let her go. We had a few wonderful years, but I had to move on.
Grace Slick, Bonnie Tyler, Pat Benatar, Martina McBride, Suzy Bogguss, Melissa Etheridge, Pink, Lady Gaga, Grace Potter, Adele, Rihanna, Andrea Corr, Lissie, just to name a few.
Clarity of voice is huge for me, otherwise it’s all innagaddadavita to me.
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