Linda Ronstadt

Linda Ronstadt
Ronstadt performing
Background information
Birth name	Linda Maria Ronstadt[1]
Born	July 15, 1946 (1946-07-15) (age 64)
Origin	Tucson, Arizona, United States
Genres	Rock, rock and roll, folk, country, country rock, jazz, Latin American, Rhythm & Blues, Cajun, big band, pop, pop, art rock, operetta
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, Musician, Record producer, Actress
Instruments	Vocals, Guitar, percussion
Years active	1967–present
Labels	Capitol Elektra/Asylum Records Verve Vanguard
Associated acts	Stone Poneys Neil Young Swampwater Free Creek Eagles Dolly Parton Emmylou Harris The Muppets Aaron Neville Rubén Fuentes Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán Nelson Riddle Ann Savoy Jackson Browne Warren Zevon Michael Nesmith

Linda Ronstadt (b. July 15, 1946) is an American popular music singer. Her many vocal styles and recordings in a variety of genres have resonated with the general public over the course of her four-decade career. As a result, she has earned ten Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, an ALMA Award, numerous United States and internationally certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, in addition to Tony Award and Golden Globe nominations.

A singer-songwriter and record producer, she is recognized as a definitive interpreter of songs.^[2] Being one of music's most versatile and commercially successful female singers in U.S. history, she is recognized for her many public stages of self-reinvention and incarnations.^[3]

With a one time standing as the Queen of Rock^[4][5] where she was bestowed the title of "highest paid woman in rock",^[6][7] and known as the First Lady of Rock, she has more recently emerged as music matriarch, international arts advocate^[3] and Human Rights advocate.^[8][9]

Ronstadt has collaborated with artists from a diverse spectrum of genres – including Billy Eckstine^[10], Frank Zappa, Rosemary Clooney, Flaco Jiménez, Philip Glass, The Chieftains, Gram Parsons – perhaps more than any popular music vocalist in modern U.S. history; she has lent her voice to over 120 albums around the world.^[11] As Christopher Loudon of Jazz Times noted in 2004, Ronstadt is "Blessed with arguably the most sterling set of pipes of her generation . . . rarest of rarities-a chameleon who can blend into any background yet remain boldly distinctive . . . It's an exceptional gift; one shared by few others." ^[12]

In total, she has released over 30 solo albums, more than 15 compilations or greatest hits albums. Ronstadt has charted thirty-eight Billboard Hot 100 singles, twenty-one of which have reached the top 40, ten of which have reached the top 10, three peaking at No. 2, the No. 1 hit, "You're No Good". In the UK, her single "Blue Bayou" reached the UK Top 40^[13] and the duet with Aaron Neville, "Don't Know Much", peaked at #2 in December of 1989.^[14] In addition, she has charted thirty-six albums, ten Top 10 albums, and three No. 1 albums on the Billboard Pop Album Charts.

Contents 1 Career overview 1.1 Early life 1.2 Personal life 1.3 Political activism 1.4 National arts advocate 2 Career 2.1 Early influences 2.2 Beginning of professional career 2.3 The Stone Poneys 2.4 Solo career 2.4.1 Touring 2.4.2 Collaborating with Peter Asher 2.4.3 Vocal styles 2.4.4 Interpretive singer 2.4.5 Most successful female singer of the 1970s 2.4.6 Time Magazine and Linda's 'Rock Chick' image 2.4.7 Highest paid woman in rock 2.4.8 From Punk Rock to Opera 2.5 Sentimental journeys 2.5.1 What's New 2.5.2 The 'Trio' recordings 2.5.3 Canciones – songs of the Ronstadt family 2.5.4 Returning to the pop music scene 2.6 A return to roots music 2.7 Selected list of career achievements 3 Awards 3.1 Grammy Awards 3.2 Grammy Award nominations 3.3 Arizona Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame inductee 3.4 ACM Music Award 3.5 Emmy Award 3.6 ALMA Award 3.7 Tony Award nomination 3.8 Golden Globe Award nomination 4 Discography 5 References 6 Articles and interviews 7 External links

Career overview

Establishing her professional career in the mid-1960s at the forefront of California's emerging folk rock and country rock movements, genres which later defined post-60s rock music, Linda Ronstadt joined forces with Bob Kimmel and Kenny Edwards and became the lead singer of a successful folk rock trio, The Stone Poneys. Later, as a solo artist, she released Hand Sown ... Home Grown in 1969, which has been described as the first alternative country record by a female recording artist.^[16] Although fame eluded her during these years, Ronstadt actively toured with The Doors, Neil Young, Jackson Browne and others, made numerous television show appearances, and began to contribute her voice to a variety of albums.

However, with the successful release of chart-topping albums such as Heart Like A Wheel, Simple Dreams, and Living In The USA, coupled with the fact that Ronstadt became the first female "arena class" rock star, setting records as one of the top-grossing concert artists of the decade, Ronstadt became a celebrity and an illustrious star of the highest magnitude^[7][17] and the most successful female artist of her era.^[18][19][20] Recognized as the "First Lady of Rock"^[21] and the "Queen of Rock", Ronstadt was voted the Top Female Pop Singer of the 1970s.^[21] Her rock and roll image was equally as famous as her music, appearing six times on the cover of Rolling Stone, as well as Newsweek and Time covers. In the 1980s Ronstadt went to Broadway, garnered a Tony nomination, teamed with composer Phillip Glass, recorded traditional music, and collaborated with famed conductor Nelson Riddle, an event at that time viewed as an original and unorthodox move for a rock and roll artist. This venture paid off,^[22] and Ronstadt remained one of the music industry's best-selling acts throughout the 1980s with multi-platinum selling albums such as: What's New, Canciones de Mi Padre and Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind. Ronstadt has continued to successfully tour, collaborate, and record celebrated albums, such as Winter Light, and Hummin' to Myself. Ronstadt's thirty-plus album catalog continue to be best-sellers, with the vast majority of them certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum.^[23] Having sold in excess of 100 million records worldwide ^[24] and setting records as one of the top-grossing concert performers for over a decade, Linda Ronstadt was the most successful female singer of the 1970s and stands one of the most successful female recording artists in United States history. A consummate American artist, Ronstadt opened many doors for women in rock and roll and in music by championing songwriters and musicians, pioneering her chart success onto the concert circuit, and being at the vanguard of many musical movements.^[25]

Early life

Linda Ronstadt was born in Tucson, Arizona in 1946 to Gilbert Ronstadt (1911–1995), a prosperous machinery merchant who ran the F. Ronstadt Co.,^[26] and Ruthmary Copeman Ronstadt (1917–1982), a homemaker with a gift for science. ^[27]

Ronstadt was raised along with her brothers Peter (who served as Tucson's Chief of Police from 1981–1992), Michael J. Ronstadt and her sister Gretchen (Suzy), on the family's 10-acre (4.0 ha) ranch. The family was featured in Family Circle magazine in 1953.^[28]

Linda's father, Gilbert, came from a leading and pioneering Arizona ranching family^[21] and was of Mexican and German descent.^[29] So great are their contributions to Arizona that their history and influence, including wagon making, commerce, pharmacies and music, is chronicled in the library of the University of Arizona.^[30] Linda Ronstadt's great grandfather, engineer Friedrich August Ronstadt (who went by the name Federico Augusto Ronstadt) immigrated to the West (then a part of Mexico) in the 1840s from Hanover, Germany, and married a Mexican citizen, and eventually settled in Tucson.^[31][32] In 1991, the City of Tucson opened its central transit terminal on March 16 and dedicated it to local pioneer businessman Fred Ronstadt. Ronstadt was a wagon maker whose early contribution to the city's mobility included six mule-drawn streetcars delivered in 1903–04.^[33]

Her mother, Ruthmary, was of German, English, and Dutch descent. Ruthmary was the daughter of Lloyd Groff Copeman (one of America's prominent prolific patent making inventors) and was raised in the Flint, Michigan area where the family owned a farm on Sashabaw Road. Coincidentally, it was down the road from Pine Knob where Linda would perform nearly every summer throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Lloyd, with nearly 700 patents to his name, invented an early form of the toaster, many refrigerator devices, the grease gun, the first electric stove, and an early form of the microwave oven. His flexible rubber ice cube tray earned him millions of dollars in royalties.^[34] He once told his grandson that he could walk into any store or home and find one of his inventions.

Personal life

Beginning in the mid-1970s, Linda Ronstadt's private life was given major publicity. It was fueled by a relationship with then-Governor of California Jerry Brown, a Democratic presidential candidate. They shared a Newsweek magazine cover in April 1979.^[35] They also made the cover of US magazine. Ronstadt and Brown took a trip to Africa which became fodder for the international press, and they made the cover of People magazine. In the mid-1980s, Ronstadt was engaged ("ring on the finger and all") to Star Wars director George Lucas.^[36] She has two adopted children, Mary Clementine and Carlos Sangria. Her daughter has made her a fan of musician Pink. Her son, who prefers heavier music, has introduced her to the music of Rob Zombie, AC/DC, Metallica, Rage Against the Machine, and Cradle of Filth among others. Of Zombie, Ronstadt says, "There's real power and energy (to his music)",^[37] and of AC/DC she says "I really love Back in Black. I appreciate it musically (and) how good the rhythm guitar player is." Ronstadt is a big fan of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels, and even persuaded friend and noted New York Times book critic Michiko Kakutani to start reading them.^[38]

In the early 1980s, Ronstadt was criticized by some (mainly rock critics) for playing two concerts, as a replacement for Frank Sinatra, in South Africa under apartheid, at a time when artists like Ray Charles, The Beach Boys, Tina Turner, Sinatra, Shirley Bassey and Cher were also performing there. Rolling Stone magazine covered the trip.

Ronstadt has been outspoken on environmental and community issues. Ronstadt is a major supporter and admirer of sustainable agriculture pioneer Wes Jackson, saying in 2000 that "the work he's doing right now is the most important work there is in the (United States)",^[39] and dedicating the rock anthem "Desperado" to him at an August 2007 concert in Kansas City, Kansas .^[40] In 2007 Ronstadt resided in the San Francisco area, while also maintaining her home in Tucson, Arizona.^[41] That same year she drew criticism and praise^[42] from Tucsonans for commenting that the local city council's failings, developers' strip mall mentality, greed and growing dust problem had rendered the city unrecognizable and poorly developed.^[43]

In 2009, in honor of Linda Ronstadt, the Martin Guitar Company has made a 00–42 model "Linda Ronstadt Limited Edition" acoustic guitar. Ronstadt has appointed the Land Institute as recipient of all proceeds from her signature guitar.^[44]

Political activism

Major criticism and praise involving Ronstadt's politics arose during a July 17, 2004 performance at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas. Toward the end of her performance, as she had done across the country, Ronstadt spoke to the audience, praising Fahrenheit 9/11, Michael Moore's documentary film about the Iraq War, and dedicated the song "Desperado" to Moore.^[45] Accounts say the crowd's initial reaction was mixed, with "half the crowd heartily applauding her praise for Moore, (and) the other half booing".^[45] Following the concert, news accounts reported that Ronstadt was "evicted" from the hotel premises.^[46] Ronstadt's comments, as well as the reactions of some audience members and the hotel, became a topic of discussion nationwide. Aladdin casino president Bill Timmins and Michael Moore each made public statements on the controversy.^[47] The incident prompted international headlines and debate on an entertainer's right to express a political opinion from the stage, and made the editorial section of the New York Times.^[48] Following the incident, many friends of Ronstadt's, including Eagles, immediately canceled their engagements at the Aladdin.^[49] Ronstadt also received telegrams of support from her rock 'n' roll friends around the world, such as The Rolling Stones, Eagles, and Elton John. Amid reports of mixed public response, Ronstadt continued in her praise of Moore and his film throughout her 2004 and 2006 summer concerts across North America. At a 2006 concert in Canada, Ronstadt told the Calgary Sun that she was "embarrassed George Bush (was) from the United States.... He's an idiot.... He's enormously incompetent on both the domestic and international scenes.... Now the fact that we were lied to about the reasons for entering into war against Iraq and thousands of people have died — it's just as immoral as racism." Her remarks drew international headlines. In an August 14, 2007, interview she commented on all her well-publicized, outspoken views, in particular the Aladdin incident by noting, "If I had it to do over I would be much more gracious to everyone... you can be as outspoken as you want if you are very, very respectful. Show some grace".^[50]

In August 2009, Ronstadt, in a well publicized interview to PlanetOut Inc. titled Linda Ronstadt's Gay Mission, championed gay rights, same sex marriage and stated that "homophobia is anti-family values. Period, end of story." ^[51]

On January 16, 2010, Ronstadt converged with thousands of other activists in a "National Day of Action." Ronstadt stated that her “dog in the fight” was – as a native Arizonan and coming from a law enforcement family – the treatment of illegal aliens, Arizona's enforcement of the rule of law and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's immigration efforts.^[52]

On April 29, 2010, Ronstadt began a campaign, including joining a lawsuit,^[53] against Arizona's new illegal-immigration law SB1070 calling it a "devastating blow to law enforcement..the police don't protect us in a democracy with brute force." Ronstadt said, something she said she learned from her brother, Peter, who was Chief of Police in Tucson. ^[54]

National arts advocate

Recently, Linda Ronstadt has emerged as a major arts advocate in the United States. In 2008, Ronstadt was appointed Artistic Director of the San José Mariachi and Mexican Heritage Festival.^[3][56]. On March 31, 2009, in testimony that the LA Times viewed as "remarkable",^[57] Ronstadt testified to the United States Congress' House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment & Related Agencies, attempting to convince lawmakers to budget $200 million in the 2010 fiscal year for the National Endowment of the Arts.^[58]

Ronstadt has also been honored for her contribution to the American arts. On September 23, 2007, Ronstadt was inducted into the Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame. Among other inductees were Stevie Nicks, Buck Owens and filmmaker Steven Spielberg.^[59] On August 17, 2008 Ronstadt received a tribute by various artists including BeBe Winans and Wynonna Judd, when she was honored with the Trailblazer Award, presented to her by Plácido Domingo at the 2008 ALMA Awards^[60], a ceremony later televised on ABC in the U.S.A.

In May 2009, Ronstadt received an honorary doctorate of music degree from the prestigious Berklee College of Music for her achievements and influence in music, and her contributions to American and international culture.^[61]

One of the world's leading magazines for commercial and project studio recording, MIX Magazine, stated, "Linda Ronstadt (has) left her mark on more than the record business; her devotion to the craft of singing influenced many audio professionals.... (and is) intensely knowledgeable about the mechanics of singing and the cultural contexts of every genre she passes".^[62] In 2004 Ronstadt wrote the Forward Introduction to the book titled The NPR Curious Listener's Guide To American folk music,^[63] and in 2005 she wrote the Introduction to the book titled Classic Ferrington Guitars, about guitar-maker and luthier Danny Ferrington and his custom guitars that have been created for various musicians from Ronstadt, Elvis Costello, and Ry Cooder to Kurt Cobain.^[64]

Career

Early influences

Linda Ronstadt's early family life was filled with music and tradition, which influenced the stylistic and musical choices she later made in her career. Growing up, she listened to many types of music, including Mexican music, which was sung by her entire family and was a staple in her childhood.^[66] Ronstadt has remarked that everything she has recorded on her own records — rock 'n' roll, jazz, rhythm and blues, gospel, opera, country, choral, and mariachi — is all music she heard her family sing in their living room, or heard played on the radio, by the age of 10. She credits her mother for her appreciation of Gilbert and Sullivan and her father for introducing her to the traditional pop and Great American Songbook repertoire that she would, in turn, help reintroduce to an entire generation.^[67][68] Early on, her singing style had been influenced by singers such as Lola Beltran and Édith Piaf; she has called their singing and rhythms "more like Greek music...It's sort of like 6/8 time signature...very hard driving and very intense" ^[69] She also drew influence from country singer Hank Williams. She has said that "all girl singers" eventually "have to curtsy to Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday".^[21] Of Maria Callas, Ronstadt says, "There's no one in her league. That's it. Period.^[70] I learn more...about singing rock n roll from listening to Maria Callas records than I ever would from listening to pop music for a month of Sundays...She's the greatest chick singer ever".^[71] She admires Callas for her musicianship and her attempts to push 20th-century singing, particularly opera, back into the Bel Canto "natural style of singing".^[49] A self-described product of American radio of the 1950s and '60s, she was a fan of its eclectic and diverse music programming.^[68]

Beginning of professional career

At 14, Ronstadt formed a folk trio with her brother Peter and sister Suzy. They billed themselves as "The New Union Ramblers", "The Union City Ramblers", and "The Three Ronstadts", and the trio played coffeehouses, fraternity houses, and other small venues. Their repertoire included the music they grew up on — folk, country, bluegrass, and Mexican.^[72] But increasingly, Ronstadt wanted to make a union of folk music and rock 'n' roll,^[73] and in 1964, after a semester at college (sources differ between Tucson's University of Arizona^[6] and Arizona State University^[74]), the 17 year old decided to move to Los Angeles.^{[75][76] [77]}

The Stone Poneys

Linda visited a friend from Tucson, Bob Kimmel, in Los Angeles during Easter break from college in 1964, and later that year, shortly before her eighteenth birthday,^[75] decided to move there permanently to form a band with him.^[76]. Kimmel had already begun co-writing folk-rock songs with guitarist-songwriter Kenny Edwards, and eventually the three of them were signed by Nik Venet to Capitol in the summer of 1966 as The Stone Poneys. The trio released three albums in a 15-month period in 1967–68: The Stone Poneys; Evergreen, Volume 2; and Linda Ronstadt, Stone Poneys and Friends, Vol. III. The band is best known for their hit single "Different Drum" (written by Michael Nesmith prior to his joining the Monkees), which reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart as well as #12 in Cash Box magazine. More than 40 years later the song remains one of Ronstadt's most popular recordings.^[78] While Stone Poneys broke up before the release of their third album, Kenny Edwards recorded and toured with Ronstadt from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s.

Besides recording one of her most enduring songs, Linda Ronstadt was already showcasing her highly expressive performance of an eclectic mix of songs, often from under-appreciated songwriters, requiring a wide array of backing musicians. Additionally, many of her songs, including "Different Drum" were written by male songwriters and had minimal lyric changes, allowing Linda Ronstadt to toy with gender roles that were in ferment in the 1960s and 1970s.

(In 2008 – as a testament to the continuing interest in Linda's early work with this band – Australia's Raven Records released a compilation CD titled simply The Stone Poneys. The disc features all tracks from the first two Stone Poneys albums and four tracks from the third album.)

Solo career

Still contractually obligated to Capitol Records, Ronstadt released her first solo album, Hand Sown...Home Grown, in 1969. It has been called the first alternative country record by a female recording artist.^[16] During this same period, she contributed to the Music From Free Creek "super session" project.

Ronstadt vocalized in some commercials during this period, including one for Remington electric razors, in which a multitracked Ronstadt and Frank Zappa said that the electric razor "cleans you, thrills you...may even keep you from getting busted".^[79]

Ronstadt's second solo album, Silk Purse, was released in March 1970. Her studio album recorded entirely in Nashville, it was produced by Elliot Mazer, whom Ronstadt picked on the advice of Janis Joplin, who had worked with him on her Cheap Thrills album.^[80] The Silk Purse album cover showed Ronstadt in a muddy pigpen, while the back and inside cover depicted her onstage wearing bright red. Ronstadt has stated that she wasn't pleased with the album, although it provided her with her first solo hit, the multi-format single "Long Long Time", and earned her her first Grammy nomination (for Best Contemporary Vocal Performance/Female).

Touring

In a 1976 interview with Cameron Crowe in Rolling Stone, Ronstadt explained that "they haven't invented a word for that loneliness that everybody goes through on the road. The world is tearing by you, real fast, and all these people are looking at you.... People see me in my 'girl-singer' suit".^[82]

Several years before Ronstadt became what author Gerri Hirshey called the first "arena-class rock diva", with "hugely anticipated tours",^[7] she began her solo career touring the North American concert circuit. Being on the road took its toll both emotionally and professionally. There were few "girl singers" on the Rock circuit at the time, and those that were, were relegated to "groupie level when in a crowd of a bunch of rock and roll guys"—a status Ronstadt avoided.^[83] Relating to men on a professional level as fellow musicians led to competition, insecurity, bad romances, and a series of boyfriend-managers. At the time, she admired singers like Maria Muldaur for not sacrificing their femininity but says she felt enormous self-imposed pressure to compete with "the boys" at every level^[76] She noted in a 1969 interview in Fusion magazine that it was difficult being a single "chick singer" with an all-male backup band.^[84] According to her, it was difficult to get a band of backing musicians because of their ego problem of being labeled sidemen for a female singer.^[85]

Soon after she went solo in the late 1960s, one of her first backing bands was the pioneering country-rock band Swampwater, famous for synthesizing Cajun and swamp-rock elements into their music. Its members included Cajun fiddler Gib Guilbeau and John Beland, who later joined The Flying Burrito Brothers,^[86] as well as Stan Pratt, Thad Maxwell and Eric White, brother of Clarence White of The Byrds. Swampwater went on to back Ronstadt during TV appearances on The Johnny Cash Show^[87] and The Mike Douglas Show and at the Big Sur Folk Festival.^[88]

Another backing band featured players Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner, who went on to form the Eagles. They toured with her for a short period in 1971 and played on Linda Ronstadt, her self-titled third album. At this stage, Ronstadt began working with producer and boyfriend John Boylan. She said, "As soon as I started working with John Boylan, I started co-producing myself. I was always a part of my productions. But I always needed a producer who would carry out my whims"^[62]

Collaborating with Peter Asher

Ronstadt began her fourth solo album, Don't Cry Now, in 1973, with Boylan, who had negotiated her contract with Asylum Records. Most tracks were produced by J.D. Souther and Boylan. She asked Peter Asher to help her produce two tracks, "Sail Away" and "I Believe in You", not the entire album. The album featured Linda's first Country hit, "Silver Threads and Golden Needles", which she had first recorded on Hand Sown...Home Grown album; this time it hit the Country Top 20. Meanwhile the album became Ronstadt's most successful up to this time, selling 300,000 copies by the end of 1974.^[90]

Ronstadt's professional relationship with Asher allowed her to take command and effectively delegate responsibilities.^[90] Asher was musically more on the same page with her than any producer she had worked with before, and he worked with her collaboratively.^[91] Although hesitant at first to work with her because she had a reputation for being a "woman of strong opinions (who) knew what she wanted to do (with her career)", he agreed nonetheless to become her producer,^[92] and their professional relationship continued through the late 1980s. He went on to produce and manage numerous other artists, such as Courtney Love and Pamela Anderson, but has stated that Linda Ronstadt remains his "favorite female singer of all time".^[93]

With the release of Don't Cry Now, Ronstadt took on her biggest gig to date, touring as the opening act for Neil Young's Time Fades Away tour. On this tour, she played for a larger crowd than ever before. Backstage at a concert in Texas, Chris Hillman introduced her to Emmylou Harris, telling them, "You two could be good friends".^[94] She and Harris did become friends, and collaborated frequently in the years that followed.

Vocal styles

Ronstadt captured the sounds of country music and the rhythms of ranchero music—which she likened in 1968 to "Mexican bluegrass"—and redirected them into her rock 'n' roll and some of her pop music. Many of these rhythms and sounds were part of her Southwestern roots.^[76] Likewise, a country sound and style, a fusing of country music and rock 'n' roll called Country rock, started to exert its influence on mainstream pop music around the late 1960s, and it became an emerging movement Ronstadt helped form and commercialize. However, as early as 1970 Ronstadt was being criticised by music "purists" for her "brand of music" which crossed many genres. Country Western Stars magazine wrote in 1970 that "Rock people thought she was too gentle, folk people thought she was too pop and pop people didn't quite understand where she was at but Country people really loved Linda". She never categorized herself and stuck to her genre-crossing brand of music. ^[96]

Interpretive singer

Although some have criticized her for choosing to record mainly cover songs, Ronstadt is considered an "interpreter of her times"^[2], and has earned praise for her courage to put her own unique "stamp" on many of these songs.^[97] More importantly, Linda Ronstadt became a highly successful "Albums Artist", some of which contain material written by her.^[98] Ronstadt's natural vocal range spans several octaves from contralto to soprano, and occasionally she will showcase this entire range within a single work. Ronstadt was the first female artist in popular music history to accumulate four consecutive platinum albums (fourteen certified million selling, to date). As for the singles, Rolling Stone Magazine pointed out that a whole generation, "but for her, might never have heard the work of" artists such as Buddy Holly, Elvis Costello, and Chuck Berry".^[5]

Others have argued that Ronstadt had the same generational effect with her Great American Songbook music, exposing a whole new generation to the music of the 1920s and '30s—music which, ironically, was pushed aside because of the advent of rock 'n' roll. When interpreting, Ronstadt said she "sticks to what the music demands", in terms of lyrics.^[100] Explaining that rock ‘n’ roll music is part of her culture, she says that the songs she sang after her rock 'n' roll hits were part of her soul. "The (Mariachi music) was my father's side of the soul. My mother's side of my soul was the Nelson Riddle stuff. And I had to do them both in order to reestablish who I was".^[101]

In the 1974 book Rock'n'Roll Woman, author Katherine Orloff wrote that Ronstadt's "own musical preferences run strongly to rhythm and blues, the type of music she most frequently chooses to listen to...(and) her goal is to... be soulful too. With this in mind, Ronstadt fuses country and rock into a special union".^[76]

By this stage of her career Ronstadt had established her niche in the field of country-rock. Along with other musicians such as The Flying Burrito Brothers, Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons, Swampwater, Neil Young, and Eagles, she helped free country music from stereotypes and showed rockers that country was OK. However, she stated that she was being pushed hard into singing more Rock & Roll.^[94]

Most successful female singer of the 1970s

Author Andrew Greeley in his book God in Popular Culture, described Ronstadt as "the most successful and certainly the most durable and most gifted woman Rock singer of her era".^[102] Signaling her wide popularity as a concert artist, outside of the singles charts and the recording studio, Dirty Linen magazine describes her as the "first true woman rock 'n' roll superstar.....(selling) out stadiums with a string of mega-successful albums".^[16] Amazon.com, defines her as the American female rock superstar of the decade.^[103] Cash Box gave Ronstadt a Special Decade Award,^[104] as the top selling female singer of the 1970s.^[21] Coupled with the fact that her album covers, posters, magazine covers – basically her entire rock n roll image conveyed – was just as famous as her music.^[105] That by the end of the decade, the singer whom the Chicago Sun Times described as the "Dean of the 1970s school of female rock singers"^[97] became what Redbook called, "the most successful female rock star in the world",^[106]"Female" being the important qualifier, according to Time Magazine, labeling her "a rarity .. to (have survived).... in the shark-infested deeps of rock" ^[6]

Having been a cult favorite on the music scene for several years, 1975 was "remembered in the music biz as the year when 29 year old Linda Ronstadt belatedly happened".^[107] With the release of Heart Like A Wheel, Ronstadt reached #1 on the Billboard Album Chart (it was also the first of four #1 Country Albums for Ronstadt) and the disc was certified Double-Platinum^[108] (over 2 million copies sold in the United States). In many instances, her own interpretations were more successful than the original recordings and many times new songwriters were discovered by a larger audience as a result of Ronstadt interpreting and recording their songs. Interestingly, Ronstadt had major success interpreting songs from a diverse spectrum of artists. This skill would eventually serve her later in her career, as a noted master song interpreter.

Heart Like A Wheel's first single release was "You're No Good", – a rockified version of a song written by Clint Ballard, Jr. that Ronstadt had initially resisted including on the album because it sounded too much like a "Beatles song" to her – climbed to #1 on both the Billboard and Cash Box Pop singles charts.^[109] The album's second single release was "When Will I Be Loved", – an uptempo Country Rock version of a Top 10 Everly Brothers song – hit #1 in Cash Box and #2 in Billboard^[109] The song was also Linda's first #1 Country hit.^[109]

The album showed a physically attractive Ronstadt on the cover but, more importantly, its critical and commercial success was due to a fine presentation of country and rock with Heart Like A Wheel her first of many major commercial successes that would put her on the path as one of the best-selling female artists of all time. Ronstadt won her first Grammy Award^[110] for Best Country Vocal Performance/Female for "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)" which was originally a 1940s hit by Hank Williams. Ronstadt's interpretation peaked at #2 on the Country charts. The album itself was nominated for the Album of the Year Grammy as well as the Best Pop Vocal Performance/Female trophy.

Rolling Stone magazine put Linda on its cover in March 1975. This was the first of six Rolling Stone magazine covers photographed by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz. It included her as the featured artist with a full photo layout and an article by Ben Fong-Torres, discussing Ronstadt's many struggling years in rock n roll, as well as her home life and what it was like to be a woman on tour in a decidedly all-male environment.

In September 1975, Linda's album Prisoner In Disguise was released. It quickly climbed into the Top Five on the Billboard Album Chart and sold over a million copies.^[108] It became her second in a row to go platinum, "a grand slam" in the same year (Ronstadt would eventually be the first female artist in popular music history to have three consecutive platinum albums and would ultimately go on to have eight consecutive platinum albums and then another six between 1983 and 1990).^[111] The disc's first single release was "Love Is A Rose". It was climbing the Pop and Country charts but Heat Wave, a rockified version of the 1963 hit by Martha and the Vandellas, was receiving considerable airplay. Asylum pulled the "Love Is A Rose" single and issued "Heat Wave" with "Love Is A Rose" on the B-side. "Heat Wave" hit the Top Five on Billboard's Hot 100 while "Love Is A Rose" hit the Top Five on Billboard's Country chart.

In 1976, Ronstadt reached the Top 3 of Billboard's Album Chart and won her second career Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance/Female for her third consecutive platinum^[108] album Hasten Down The Wind. The album featured a sexy, revealing cover shot and showcased Ronstadt the singer-songwriter, composing two of its songs, "Try Me Again" and "Lo Siento Mi Vida". It also included interpretation of Willie Nelson's classic "Crazy", which became a Top 10 Country hit for Ronstadt in early 1977.

At the end of 1977 Ronstadt surpassed the success of Heart Like A Wheel with her album Simple Dreams, which held the #1 position for five consecutive weeks on the Billboard Album Chart. It also knocked Elvis Presley out of #1 on Billboard's Country Albums chart. It sold over 3½ million copies in less than a year in the US alone. The album was released in September 1977, and by December, it had replaced Fleetwood Mac's long running #1 album Rumours in the top spot. Simple Dreams spawned a string of hit singles on numerous charts. Among them were the RIAA platinum-certified single "Blue Bayou", a Country Rock interpretation of a Roy Orbison song, "It's So Easy" – previously sung by Buddy Holly – and "Poor Poor Pitiful Me", a song written by Warren Zevon, an up and coming songwriter of the time whom Ronstadt elected to highlight and record. The album, garnered several Grammy Award nominations – including Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance/Female for "Blue Bayou" – and won its art director, Kosh, a Grammy Award for Best Album Cover, the first of three Grammy Awards he would win for designing Ronstadt album covers.

Simple Dreams became one of the singer's most successful international selling albums as well, reaching #1 on the Australian and Canadian Pop and Country Albums charts.^[112] Simple Dreams also made Ronstadt the most successful international female touring artist as well. The same year, she completed a highly successful concert tour around Europe. As, Country Music Magazine, wrote in October 1978, Simple Dreams solidified Ronstadt's role as "easily the most successful female rock and roll and country star at this time."^[113]

Also in 1977, she was asked by the Los Angeles Dodgers to sing the U.S. National Anthem at game three of the World Series against the New York Yankees.^[114]

Time Magazine and Linda's 'Rock Chick' image

Ronstadt has remarked that she felt as though she was "artificially encouraged to kinda cop a really tough attitude (and be tough) because Rock & Roll is kind of a tough (business)" which she felt wasn't worn quite authentically.^[115] Female rock artists like her and Janis Joplin, whom she described as lovely, shy and very literate in real life and the antithesis of the "red hot mamma" routine she was artificially encouraged to project, went through an identity crisis.^[116]

Eventually, Ronstadt's Rock & Roll image became just as famous as her music by the mid 1970s.^[117] The 1977 appearance on the cover of Time magazine under the banner "Torchy Rock", especially for the most famous woman singer of the 1970s,^[118] was controversial for Ronstadt, considering what the image appeared to project about the most famous woman in rock.^[119] At a time in the industry when men still told women what to sing and what to wear,^[120] Ronstadt hated the image of her that was projected to the world,^[119] on the cover of Time magazine no less, and she noted recently how the photographer kept forcing her to wear a dress, which was an image she did not want to project,^[119] (although she wore a rather revealing dress for the cover of Hasten Down the Wind which projected an image of her not all that different from the Time magazine cover). In 2004, she was interviewed for CBS This Morning^[121] and falsely stated that this image was not her because she didn't sit like that. The Time magazine cover did not deter critics and they regarded it as affirming their claim that Ronstadt was her producer's puppet. Asher noted this irony, "anyone who's met Linda for 10 seconds will know that I couldn't possibly have been her Svengali. She's an extremely determined woman, in every area. To me, she was everything that feminism's about."^[120] Qualities, which Asher has stated, were considered a "negative (in a woman at that time), whereas in a man they were perceived as being masterful and bold".^[92] As noted, since her solo career began, Ronstadt has fought hard to be recognized as a solo female singer in the world of rock,^[122] and her portrayal on the Time cover didn't appear to help the situation. It was in 1976 that Rolling Stone magazine published for its cover an alluring collection of photographs taken by Annie Leibovitz, which helped to further the image that Ronstadt later said she wasn't pleased with. Ronstadt and Asher claim to have viewed the photos prior to publication and, when asked that they be removed and the request was denied, they unceremoniously threw Leibovitz out of the house.

In 1978 Rolling Stone magazine declared Ronstadt, "by far America's best-known female rock singer".^[123] She scored a third #1 album on the Billboard Album Chart – unsurpassed by any female artist at this point in time – with Living In The USA. Linda achieved a major hit single with "Ooh Baby Baby", with her rendition hitting all four major singles charts (Pop, AC, Country and R&B). Living In The USA was the first album by any recording act, in music history, to ship double-platinum (over 2 million advanced copies).^[7] The album eventually sold 3 million US copies.

Billboard magazine crowned Linda Ronstadt with three #1 Awards for the Year: #1 Pop Female Singles Artist of the Year; #1 Pop Female Album Artist of the Year; #1 Female Artist of the Year (overall).^[124]

Living In The USA showed the singer on roller skates with a newly short, permed hairdo on the album cover. Ronstadt continued this theme on concert tour promotional posters with photos of her on roller skates in a dramatic pose with a large American flag in the background. By this stage of her career, she was promoting every album released, with posters^[117] and concerts – which at the time were recorded live on radio and/or TV. Ronstadt was also featured in the 1978 film FM, where the plot involved disc jockeys attempting to broadcast live, a Linda Ronstadt concertbwithout a competing stations knowledge. The movie also showed Ronstadt in concert singing the hit song Tumbling Dice. Ronstadt was persuaded to record "Tumbling Dice" after Mick Jagger told her backstage after a 1976 concert of hers, that she sang too many ballads in concert. She appeared to heed the advice. In FM she also performed Poor Poor Pitiful Me and Love Me Tender.

Following the success of Living in the USA, Ronstadt not only conducted successful disc promotional tours and concerts but in one concert in 1978, Ronstadt made a guest appearance onstage with The Rolling Stones at the Tucson Community Center on July 21, 1978 in her hometown of Tucson, where Ronstadt and Mick Jagger vocalized on "Tumbling Dice".

Highest paid woman in rock

By the end of 1978, Ronstadt had solidified her role as one of rock and pop's most successful solo female acts, and owing to her consistent platinum album success and the first-ever woman able to command sell-out concerts in arenas and stadiums hosting tens of thousands of fans.^[21], Ronstadt became the "highest paid woman in rock",^[7] She had six platinum certified albums, three of which went to No. 1 on the Billboard album chart, and numerous charted Pop singles. In 1978 alone, she made over $12 million ^[21] (equivalent to $38,000,000 in today's dollars)^[126] and in the same year her albums sales were reported at being 17 million – grossing over $60 million ^[127] (equivalent to a gross of over $170,000,000, in today's dollars).^[126]

As Rolling Stone magazine dubbed her "Rock's Venus",^[18] her record sales continued to multiply and set records themselves. By 1979, Ronstadt had collected eight gold, six platinum and four multi-platinum certifications for her albums, an unprecedented feat at the time. Her 1976 Greatest Hits album would sell consistently for the next 25 years and in 2001 was certified by the RIAA for 7 times platinum^[108] (over 7 million US copies sold). In 1980, Greatest Hits Volume II was released and certified platinum.^[108]

In 1979, Ronstadt went on a successful international tour, playing in arenas across Australia to Japan, including the Olympic Park Stadium in Melbourne, Australia and the Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. She also participated in benefit concert for her friend Lowell George, held at The Forum, in Los Angeles, California.

By the end of the decade, Ronstadt had outsold her female competition, no other female artist to date had five straight platinum LPs: Hasten Down the Wind, and Heart Like a Wheel among them.^[128] US Magazine reported in 1978, that Linda Ronstadt, Stevie Nicks, Carly Simon and Joni Mitchell had become "The Queens of Rock"^[127] and 'Rock is no longer exclusively male. There is a new royalty ruling today's record charts'.^[127]

She would go on to parlay her mass commercial appeal with major success in interpreting The Great American Songbook, made famous a generation prior by Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald and later the Mexican folk songs of her childhood.

From Punk Rock to Opera

In 1980 Ronstadt recorded Mad Love, her seventh consecutive platinum selling album. Mad Love is a straightforward Rock & Roll album with strong post-punk, new wave influences, including tracks by songwriters such as Elvis Costello, The Cretones, and musician Mark Goldenberg who played on the record himself. This same year she also made the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine for a record-setting sixth time. Mad Love entered the Billboard Album Chart in the Top Five its first week (a record at that time) and climbed to the #3 position. The project continued her streak of Top 10 hits with "How Do I Make You?", originally recorded by Billy Thermal, and "Hurt So Bad", originally a Top 10 hit for Little Anthony & the Imperials. The album earned Ronstadt a 1980 Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance/Female (although she lost to Pat Benatar's Crimes of Passion album). However, this same year Benatar praised Linda Ronstadt by stating, How can I be the best female singer when Ronstadt is still alive?! ^[129]

In the summer of 1980 Ronstadt began rehearsals for the first of several leads in Broadway musicals. Joseph Papp cast her as the lead in the New York Shakespeare Festival production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance, alongside Kevin Kline.^[130] However, this endeavor wasn't, to Ronstadt, as far a left field endeavor as it might have appeared to Ronstadt's popular music audience. She recounts that singing Gilbert and Sullivan was a natural choice for her, since Grandfather Fred Ronstadt is credited with creating Tucson's first orchestra, the Club Filarmonico Tucsonense and had once created an arrangement of Pirates of Penzance, likewise, her mother, Ruthmary Copeman Ronstadt, owned a large Gilbert and Sullivan collection.^[131]

The Pirates of Penzance revival turned out to be a major hit on Broadway. The musical opened for a limited engagement in New York City's Central Park and moved its production to Broadway where it ran from January 8, 1981 to November 28, 1982.^[132] Newsweek was effusive in its praise: "...she has not dodged the coloratura demands of her role (and Mabel is one of the most demanding parts in the G&S canon): from her entrance trilling 'Poor Wand'ring One,' it is clear that she is prepared to scale whatever soprano peaks stand in her way".^[109]

(A DVD of the Central Park production was released in October 2002, but there is no recording of the Broadway run which followed. The "Central Park" disc has somewhat mediocre videotaping and sound quality, both a result of the outdoor location. Ronstadt also co-starred with Kline and Angela Lansbury in the 1983 motion picture version of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. Ronstadt received a Golden Globe nomination for the role in the movie version. The two versions (stage and for-film) are distinguishable by cover art.)

For her effort on Broadway, she garnered a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical and The Pirates of Penzance won several Tony Awards, including a Tony Award for Best Revival.

As a child Ronstadt had discovered La Bohème through the silent movie with Lillian Gish and was determined to someday play the part of Mimi. When she met late opera superstar Beverly Sills, she was told, "My dear, every soprano in the world wants to play Mimi!" In 1984 Ronstadt was cast in the role of Mimi at Joseph Papp's Public Theatre. However, the production was a critical and commercial disaster, closing after only a few nights.^[133]

(In 1988 Ronstadt would return to Broadway for a limited-run engagement in the musical show adaptation of her album celebrating her Mexican heritage, Canciones De Mi Padre – A Romantic Evening In Old Mexico.) ^[134]

In 1982 Ronstadt released Get Closer – a primarily rock album with some country and pop music as well. It stands as her only album between 1975 and 1990 that wasn't officially certified Platinum. It peaked at #31 on the Billboard Album Chart. The release continued her streak of Top 40 hits with "Get Closer" and "I Knew You When" – a 1965 hit by Billy Joe Royal – while the Jimmy Webb song "Easy For You To Say" was a surprise Top 10 Adult Contemporary hit in the spring of 1983. "Sometimes You Just Can't Win" was released to country radio, and made it to #27 on that listing. Linda also filmed several music videos for this album which became popular on the fledgling MTV cable channel. The album earned Ronstadt two Grammy Award nominations: one for Best Rock Vocal Performance/Female for the title track and another for Best Pop Vocal Performance/Female for the album. The artwork won its art director, Kosh, his second Grammy Award for Best Album Package.

Along with the release of her Get Closer album, Ronstadt embarked on a very successful North American tour, remaining one of the top rock concert draws that summer and fall. On November 25, 1982 Linda's 'Happy Thanksgiving Day' concert was held at the Reunion Arena in Dallas and broadcast live via satellite on radio stations across the United States.^[135]

Sentimental journeys

Ronstadt has remarked that in the beginning of her career "(she)..was so focused on folk, rock and country that..(she) got a bit bored and started to branch out, and..(has) been doing that ever since".^[136] By 1983, Linda Ronstadt's estimated worth was over $40 million ^[137]mostly from successful records, concerts and merchandising.

Ronstadt eventually tired of playing arenas.^[115] She didn't feel that arenas, where people milled around lighting joints and buying beer, were "approriate places for music". She wanted "angels in the architecture" – a reference to a lyric in the Paul Simon song You Can Call Me Al. Likewise, she has noted that she wanted to sing in places similar to the Theatre of ancient Greece, where the attention is focused on the stage and performer.^[138]

Ronstadt's recording output in the 1980s proved to be just as commercially and critically successful as her 1970s recordings. Between 1983 and 1990 Ronstadt scored six additional platinum albums: two of which have been certified triple platinum (each with over 3 million US copies sold); one which as been certified double platinum (over two million copies sold); and one additional Gold (over 500,000 US copies sold) double disc album.^[23]

By recording Traditional pop, Traditional country, Traditional Latin roots, and Adult Contemporary, Ronstadt resonated with a different fan base and diversified her appeal.

What's New

In 1981 Linda Ronstadt produced and recorded an album of jazz and pop standards (later marketed in bootleg form) titled Keeping Out of Mischief with the assistance of producer Jerry Wexler. However, Ronstadt's displeasure with the final result led her to regretfully scrap the project. "Doing that killed me", she said in a Time magazine interview.^[139] But the appeal of the album's music had seduced Ronstadt, as she told Downbeat magazine in April 1985, crediting Wexler for encouraging her.^[140] Nonetheless, Ronstadt had to somehow convince her reticent record company, Elektra Records, to greenlight this type of album under her contract.^[141]

By 1983 Ronstadt had enlisted the help of 62-year-old conductor and master of jazz/traditional pop orchestration, Nelson Riddle. The two embarked on an unorthodox and original approach to rehabilitating the Great American Songbook, recording a trilogy of highly successful jazz/ traditional pop albums: What's New (1983 – 3.7 US mil. as of 2010 ); Lush Life (1984 – 1.7 US mil. as of 2010); and For Sentimental Reasons (1986 – 1.3 US mil. as of 2010). The three have a combined sales total of nearly 7 million copies in the United States alone.

The album design for What's New by designer Kosh was unlike any of her previous disc covers. But in keeping with the themes of her other discs it was bold, colorful and memorable. The cover seemed to playfully suggest what's new? It showed Ronstadt in a vintage dress lying on shimmering satin sheets with a Walkman headset. At the time, Ronstadt received some chiding for both the album cover and her venture into what was then considered "elevator music" by cynics. Ronstadt remained determined to record with Nelson Riddle and What's New became a hit. The album was released in September 1983, it spent 81 weeks on the Billboard Album Chart and held the #3 position for a month and a half (held out of the top spot by Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' and Lionel Richie's 'Can't Slow Down') and the RIAA certified it triple platinum^[108] (over 3 million US copies sold alone). The album earned Ronstadt another Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and critical raves, with Time Magazine calling it "one of the gutsiest, most unorthodox and unexpected albums of the year".^[143]

Ronstadt faced considerable pressure not to record What's New or record with Riddle. According to jazz historian Peter Levinson, author of the book September In The Rain – a Biography on Nelson Riddle, Joe Smith, president of Elektra Records, was terrified that the Nelson Riddle album would turn off Ronstadt's rock audience.^[141] Linda did not completely turn her back on her rock and roll past, however; the video for the title track featured Danny Kortchmar as the old beau that she bumped into during a rainstorm.

What's New brought Nelson Riddle to a younger audience. According to Levinson "the younger audience hated what Riddle had done with Frank Sinatra,^[144] which in 1983 was considered "Vintage Pop". Working with Ronstadt, Riddle brought his career back into focus in the last three years of his life.^[144] Stephen Holden of the New York Times wrote, What's New "isn't the first album by a rock singer to pay tribute to the golden age of the pop, but is ... the best and most serious attempt to rehabilitate an idea of pop that Beatlemania and the mass marketing of rock LPs for teen-agers undid in the mid-60s ... In the decade prior to Beatlemania, most of the great band singers and crooners of the 40s and 50s codified a half-century of American pop standards on dozens of albums ... many of them now long out-of-print".^[145] What's New is the first album by a rock singer to have major commercial success in rehabilitating the Great American Songbook.^[145]

In 1984 Ronstadt and Nelson Riddle performed these songs live, in concert halls throughout Australia, Japan and the United States, including multi-night performances at historic venues Carnegie Hall, Radio City and Pine Knob.

In 2004 Ronstadt released Hummin' To Myself, her album for Verve Records. It was her first foray into traditional jazz since her sessions with Jerry Wexler and her records with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, but this time with an intimate jazz combo. The album was a quiet affair for Ronstadt, receiving few interviews and only one television performance as promotion. It reached #2 on Billboard's Top Jazz Albums chart but peaked at #166 on the main Billboard album chart. Not having the mass distribution that Warner Music gave her, Hummin' To Myself has now sold over 75,000 copies in the US – as of 2010 – which is quite successful for a small record label like Verve Records. It also achieved some critical acclaim from the jazz cognoscenti.^[12]

The 'Trio' recordings

In 1978, Ronstadt, with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris, began recording a Trio album. The attempt was not successful. Ronstadt later remarked that not too many people were in control at the time and everyone was too involved with their own careers. (Though the efforts to complete the album were abandoned, a number of the more successful recordings were included on the singers' respective solo recordings over the next few years.) This concept album was put on the back burner for almost ten years.

In January 1986, the three eventually did make their way into the recording studio, where they spent the next several months working. The result, Trio, which they had conceived ten years earlier, was released in March 1987. It was a considerable hit, holding the #1 position on Billboard's Country Albums chart for five weeks running and hitting the Top 10 on the Pop side also. Selling over three million US copies and winning them a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, it produced four Top Ten Country singles including "To Know Him Is To Love Him" which hit #1. The album was also a nominee for overall Album of the Year, in the company of Michael Jackson, U2, Prince, and Whitney Houston.

In 1994, the three performers recorded a follow-up to Trio. As was the case with their aborted 1978 effort, conflicting schedules and competing priorities delayed the album's release indefinitely. Ronstadt, who had already paid for studio time – and owed her record company a finished album – removed Dolly's individual tracks at her request, kept Emmylou's vocals on, and produced a number of the recordings which she subsequently released on her 1995 return to Country Rock Feels Like Home.

However, in 1999, Ronstadt, Parton and Harris agreed to release the Trio 2 album, as was originally recorded in 1994. It included an ethereal cover of Neil Young's "After The Gold Rush" which became a popular music video. The effort was certified Gold (over 500,000 copies sold) and won them a Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for the track. Ronstadt co-produced the album with George Massenburg and the three ladies also received a Grammy Nomination for Best Country Album.

Canciones – songs of the Ronstadt family

At the end of 1987, Ronstadt released an album of traditional Mexican folk songs, or what she describes as "world class songs", titled Canciones de Mi Padre. Keeping with the Ronstadt history theme, her cover art was dramatic, bold, and colorful. For Canciones De Mi Padre Ronstadt was in full Mexican regalia and her musical arranger was famed Mariachi musician Rubén Fuentes.

These canciones were a big part of Ronstadt's family tradition and musical roots. For example, the history of this album goes back half a century. In January, 1946, the University of Arizona published a booklet by Luisa Espinel entitled Canciones de mi Padre.^[147] Luisa Espinel was Linda Ronstadt's aunt and an international singer in the 1920s and 1930s. Ms. Espinel's father was Fred Ronstadt (Linda Ronstadt's grandfather), and the songs she had learned, transcribed and published were some of the ones he had brought with him from Sonora. Ronstadt researched and extracted from the favorites she had learned from her father Gilbert and she called her album by the same name as her aunt's booklet and as a tribute to her father and his family. Though not fully bilingual, she has a fairly good command of the Spanish language, allowing her to sing Latin American songs with little discernible anglo accent; Ronstadt has often identified herself as Mexican-American.^[148] Her formative years were spent with her father's side of the family.^[149] In fact, in 1976 Ronstadt co-wrote, along with her father, a Traditional Mexican folk ballad, titled "Lo siento mi vida", a song that she included in her Grammy winning album – Hasten Down the Wind. Also, Ronstadt has credited Mexican singer Lola Beltrán as an influence in her own singing style, and she recalls how a frequent guest to the Ronstadt home, Eduardo "Lalo" Guerrero, father of Chicano music, would often serenade her as a child.^[131]

This album won Ronstadt a Grammy Award for Best Mexican-American Performance. The real achievement however is the disc's RIAA double-platinum^[108] (over 2 million US copies sold) certification – making it the biggest-selling non-English language album in US music history. Another achievement is that the album and later theatrical stage show, served as a benchmark of Latin cultural renaissance in North America.

Ronstadt produced and performed a theatrical stage show in concert halls across the United States and Latin America to both Hispanic and non-Hispanic audiences, including on the Great White Way. She called the stage show by the same name Canciones de mi Padre. These performances were released on DVD. Ronstadt elected to return to the Broadway stage, 4 years after she performed La Bohème, for a limited run engagement. PBS Great Performances aired the celebrated stage show during its annual fund drives and the show was a hit with audiences, earning Ronstadt an Emmy Award for Individual Performance In A Variety Or Music Program.

Linda later recorded two additional discs of Latin music in the early 1990s. Although their promotion, like most of her albums in the 1990s, were a quieter affair for Ronstadt, where she appeared to do the 'bare minimum' to promote them. They were not nearly as successful as Canciones De Mi Padre, but were critically acclaimed in some circles. In 1991 she released Mas Canciones, a follow up to the first Canciones. For this effort she won a Grammy award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album. The following year she stepped outside of the Mariachi genre and decided to record well known "afro-Cuban" songs. This disc was titled Frenesí. Like her two previous Latin recordings ventures, this third Latin album won Ronstadt another Grammy award, this time for Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album.

In 1991 Ronstadt acted in the lead role of arch angel San Miguel in La Pastorela – A Shephard's Tale, a musical filmed at San Juan Bautista. It was written and directed by Luis Valdez. The production was part of the PBS "Great Performances" series. (It currently exists on VHS format but has not been released on DVD.)

Returning to the pop music scene

Still enjoying the success of her big band jazz collaborations with Nelson Riddle and the sleeper hit success of her Mariachi recordings, by the late 1980s Linda Ronstadt elected to record mainstream pop music once again, a decision that ended up producing a new string of hit singles and a highly successful pop/rock album titled Cry Like A Rainstorm, Howl Like The Wind.

In 1987 Ronstadt made a return to the top of Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with "Somewhere Out There", which peaked at #2 in March.^[109] A sentimental duet with James Ingram and featured in the animated film An American Tail, the song was nominated for several Grammy Awards, ultimately winning the Song Of The Year category. It also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Motion Picture song and achieved high sales, earning a million-selling Gold single in the US – one of the last 45s ever to do so. It was also accompanied by a highly popular music video. On the heels of this success, Steven Spielberg asked Ronstadt to record the theme song for the animated sequel titled An American Tail: Fievel Goes West – entitled "Dreams To Dream". Although it failed to achieve the success of its predecessor, the song did give Ronstadt an Adult Contemporary hit in 1991.

Ronstadt made a full return to mainstream pop in 1989, releasing both an album and several popular singles. This effort titled Cry Like A Rainstorm, Howl Like The Wind became one of the singers all-time biggest albums – in terms of production, arrangements, chart sales, and critical acclaim. The album became Ronstadt's tenth Top 10 album on the Billboard album chart, reaching the #7 position and being certified triple-platinum ^[108] (over 3 million US copies sold). The album also received critical acclaim, being nominated for numerous Grammy awards, and being praised by Amazon.com as "an album that defines virtually everything that is right about adult contemporary pop."^[151] Linda featured New Orleans soul singer Aaron Neville on several of the twelve disc cuts.

Ronstadt incorporated the sounds of the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, Tower of Power horns, the Skywalker Symphony and numerous musicians. It had duets including "Don't Know Much" (Billboard Hot 100 No. 2 hit – Christmas 1989^[109]) and "All My Life" (Billboard Hot 100 #11 hit), both of which were long-running #1 Adult Contemporary hits. These duets with Aaron Neville received much critical acclaim, garnering several Grammy nominations. The duo won both the 1989 and 1990 Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal awards. Linda's last live Grammy Award appearance was in 1990 when she and Neville performed "Don't Know Much" together on the telecast.^[49] ("Whenever I sing with a different artist, I can get things out of my voice that I can't do by myself, " Ronstadt reflected in 2007. "I can do things with Aaron that I can't do alone.") ^[152].

In December 1990, Linda Ronstadt participated in a concert to commemorate John Lennon's 50th birthday, and to raise awareness of environmental issues, held in Tokyo at the Tokyo Dome. Other participants included Miles Davis, Lenny Kravitz, Hall & Oates, Natalie Cole, Japanese artists, Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon. A CD resulted, titled Happy Birthday, John.^[153]

A return to roots music

Continuing with her crafted approach to more mainstream-oriented material, Ronstadt released the highly acclaimed Winter Light album at the end of 1993. It included New Age arrangements such as the lead single "Heartbeats Accelerating" as well as the self-penned title track and featured the unique glass armonica instrument. It was Linda's first commercial failure since 1972 and peaked at a disappointing #92 in Billboard. 1995's Feels Like Home was Ronstadt's much heralded return to Country-Rock and included her version of Tom Petty's classic hit "The Waiting". The single's rollicking, fiddle-infused flip side, "Walk On", returned Linda to the Country Singles chart for the first time since 1983. An album track entitled "The Blue Train" charted 10 weeks in Billboard's Adult Contemporary Top 40. This album fared slightly better than its predecessor, reaching #75. Both albums have been deleted from the Elektra/Asylum catalog.

In 1996 Ronstadt produced Dedicated To The One I Love, an album of classic rock 'n roll songs reinvented as lullabies. The disc reached #78 in Billboard. Ronstadt was awarded a Grammy in the Best Musical Album for Children category.

In 1998 Ronstadt released We Ran – her first album in over two years. The disc harkens back to Ronstadt's country-rock and folk-rock heyday. She returned to her rock 'n' roll roots with vivid interpretations of songs by Bruce Springsteen, Doc Pomus, Bob Dylan and John Hiatt. The recording was produced by Glyn Johns. A commercial failure, the album stands – at 60,000 copies sold at the time of its deletion in 2008 – as the poorest selling studio album in Linda's Elektra/Asylum catalogue. We Ran did not chart any singles but it was well received by critics.

Despite the lack of success of We Ran, Ronstadt kept towards this adult rock exploration. She released Western Wall — The Tucson Sessions in the summer of 1999 – a folk-rock oriented project with EmmyLou Harris. It earned a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Folk Album, and made the Top 10 of Billboard's Country Albums chart (#73 on the main Billboard album chart). However, it would sell roughly half the number of copies that Trio Two sold and is now out of print.

Also in 1999, Ronstadt went back to her concert roots, when she performed with Eagles and Jackson Browne at Staples Center's 1999 New Year's Eve celebration kicking off the December 31 end-of-the-millennium festivities. As Staples Center Senior Vice President and General Manager Bobby Goldwater said, "It was our goal to present a spectacular event as a sendoff to the 20th century", and "Eagles, Jackson Browne, and Linda Ronstadt are three of the most popular acts of the century. Their performances will constitute a singular and historic night of entertainment for New Year's Eve in Los Angeles.^[154]

In 2000 Linda Ronstadt completed her long contractual relationship with the Elektra/Asylum Records label. The fulfillment of this contract commenced with the release of A Merry Little Christmas, Linda's first holiday collection, which included rare choral works, the somber Joni Mitchell song "River", and a rare recorded duet with the late Rosemary Clooney on her Clooney's signature song, "White Christmas". Since leaving Warner Music, Ronstadt has gone on to release one album each under the Verve and Vanguard Record labels.

In 2006, recording as the ZoZo Sisters, Ronstadt teamed with her then-new friend, musician and musical scholar Ann Savoy, to record Adieu False Heart. It was an album of roots music incorporating pop, Cajun, and early 20th century music and released on the Vanguard Records label. Adieu False Heart was a commercial failure, peaking at #146 in the US, and is the latest Linda Ronstadt album as of 2010.

Adieu False Heart, recorded in Louisiana, features a cast of local musicians, including Chas Justus, Eric Frey and Kevin Wimmer of the Red Stick Ramblers, Sam Broussard of The Mamou Playboys, Dirk Powell and Joel Savoy, as well as an array of Nashville musicians: fiddler Stuart Duncan, mandolinist Sam Bush and guitarist Bryan Sutton. The recording earned two Grammy nominations: Best Traditional Folk Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.

In 2007 Ronstadt could be heard on the compilation LP We All Love Ella: Celebrating The First Lady of Song – a tribute album to jazz music's all-time most heralded artist – on the track "Miss Otis Regrets."^[156] In the summer of 2007 Ronstadt headlined the Newport Folk Festival, making her debut at this prestigious event, where she incorporated jazz, rock and folk music into her repertoire.

Selected list of career achievements

• As of 2010 Linda Ronstadt has earned three #1 Pop albums, ten Top 10 Pop albums and 36 charting Pop albums on the Billboard Pop Album Charts. On Billboard's Top Country Albums chart, she has charted 15 albums including four that hit #1.
• Also – as of 2010 – Ronstadt's singles have earned her a #1 hit and three #2 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 (with ten Top 10 Pop singles and twenty-one reaching the 'Top 40' overall). Additionally she has scored two #1 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, and two #1 hits and on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart.
• Linda has recorded and released well over 30 studio albums and has made guest appearances on an estimated 120 other albums.^[157] Her guest appearances included the classical minimalist Philip Glass's album Songs from Liquid Days, a hit Classical record with other major Pop stars either singing or writing lyrics, she also appeared on Glass's follow up recording; 1000 Airplanes on the Roof, an appearance on Paul Simon's Graceland, she voiced herself in The Simpsons episode "Mr. Plow" and sang a duet "Funny How Time Slips Away" with Homer Simpson on The Yellow Album. Ronstadt has also recorded on albums with artists as diverse as: Billy Eckstine, Emmylou Harris, The Chieftains, Dolly Parton, Neil Young, J. D. Souther, Gram Parsons, Bette Midler, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Earl Scruggs, The Eagles, Andrew Gold, Hoyt Axton, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Mark Goldenberg, Ann Savoy, Karla Bonoff, James Taylor, Warren Zevon, Maria Muldaur, Randy Newman, Nicolette Larson, the Seldom Scene, Rosemary Clooney, Aaron Neville, Rodney Crowell, Hearts and Flowers, Teresa, Laurie Lewis, Yanka Runpika and Flaco Jiménez.
• Linda's three biggest-selling studio albums to date are her 1977 release Simple Dreams, 1983's What's New, and 1989's Cry Like A Rainstorm, Howl Like The Wind, each one certified by the Recording Industry Association of America for over 3 million copies sold. Her highest-selling album to date is the 1976 compilation, Greatest Hits, certified for over 7 million units sold as of 2001.^[158]
• Linda Ronstadt became music's first major touring female artist, selling out major venues, and she also became the top-grossing solo female concert artist for the 1970s.^[7] Ronstadt remained a highly successful touring artist into the 1990s at which time she decided to 'scale back' to smaller venues.
• Cash Box magazine – fierce competition to Billboard in the 1970s – named Linda Ronstadt the '#1 Female Artist of the Decade'.^[21]
• Her RIAA certification (audits paid for by record companies or artist for promotion) tally as of 2001, now totals 19 Gold, 14 Platinum and 7 Multi-Platinum albums.^[159]
• Ronstadt's album sales have not been certified since 2001, and at the time, Ronstadt's US album sales were certified by the RIAA at over 30 million albums sold while Peter Asher, her former producer and manager, placed her total US album sales at over 45 million ^[67]. Likewise, her worldwide albums sales are in excess of 60 million albums sold, according to Verve Music.^[160]
• She was the first female in music history to score three consecutive platinum albums and ultimately racked up a total of eight consecutive platinum albums.^[161]
• Her album Living In The USA is the first album by any recording act in US music history, to ship double platinum (over 2 million advanced copies).^[7]
• Linda's first Latin release, the all-Spanish 1987 album, Canciones De Mi Padre stands as the best-selling non-English-language album in U.S. music history. As of 2009, it had sold over 2½ million US copies.
• Ronstadt has served as record producer on various albums from musicians such as her cousin David Lindley and Aaron Neville to singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb.^[162] She produced Cristal — Glass Music Through the Ages, an album of classical music using glass instruments with Dennis James, and Ronstadt singing on several of the arrangements.^[163] In 1999, Ronstadt also produced the Grammy Award winning 'Trio 2'.
• She has received a total of 27 Grammy Award nominations in various fields from Rock, Country, and Pop, to Tropical Latin, and has won 11 Grammy Awards in fields including Pop, Country, Tropical Latin, Musical Album for Children, and Mexican-American.
• Ronstadt was the first female solo artist to have two Top 40 singles simultaneously on Billboard magazine's Hot 100: "Blue Bayou" and "It's So Easy" (October 1977). By December, both "Blue Bayou" and "It's So Easy" had climbed into Billboard's Top 5 and remained there for the entire month.^[164]
• As a singer-songwriter Ronstadt has also written songs covered by several artists, such as "Try Me Again" covered by Trisha Yearwood and "Winter Light" which was co-written and composed with Zbigniew Preisner and Eric Kaz, and covered by Sarah Brightman.
• Ronstadt has elected to sing songs written by a diverse group of artist including: Lowell George, Zevon, Costello, Souther, Newman, Patty Griffin. Sinéad O'Connor, Julie Miller, Mel Tillis, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, John Hiatt, Joe Melson, Seldom Scene, Bruce Springsteen, George Jones, Tracy Nelson, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Little Feat, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, the Everly Brothers, Brian Wilson, the Rolling Stones, the Miracles, Oscar Hammerstein II, Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly and the Crickets.
• Rolling Stone Magazine writes, a whole generation "but for her, might never have heard the work of Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, or Elvis Costello." ^[5]
• "Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" included Heart Like A Wheel (1974) at #164 and The Very Best Of Linda Ronstadt (2002) at #324.^[165]
• In 1999, Ronstadt ranked #21 in VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll. Three years later, she ranked #40 in CMT's 40 Greatest Women in Country Music.

Awards

Grammy Awards

• 1975 – Best Country Vocal Performance, Female, "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)" from Heart Like a Wheel
• 1976 – Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, Hasten Down the Wind
• 1980 – Best Musical Album for Children, In Harmony: A Sesame Street Record (multiple artist compilation w/ Linda Ronstadt)¹
• 1987 – Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, Trio (with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris)
• 1988 – Best Mexican-American Performance, Canciones de Mi Padre
• 1989 – Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, "Don't Know Much" from Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind with Aaron Neville
• 1990 – Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, "All My Life" from Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind with Aaron Neville
• 1992 – Best Tropical Latin Album, Frenesi
• 1993 – Best Mexican-American Album, Mas Canciones
• 1996 – Best Musical Album for Children, Dedicated to the One I Love
• 1999 – Best Country Collaboration with Vocals, "After the Gold Rush" from Trio II with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris

¹ "Best Musical Album for Children" Grammy – Linda Ronstadt is not recognised by the Grammy Awards as being a recipient of this particular Grammy, although she participated in the production. Therefore, the Grammy Award site^[166] shows Ronstadt the recipient of only 10 Awards, and 17 additional nominations. However, The official Grammy Awards site also shows Ronstadt as a recipient for the Grammy winning Musical Album for Children.

Grammy Award nominations

• 1970 – Best Contemporary Vocal Performance, Female, "Long, Long Time" from Silk Purse
• 1975 – Album of the Year, Heart Like a Wheel
• 1975 – Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, Heart Like a Wheel
• 1977 – Record of the Year, "Blue Bayou" from Simple Dreams
• 1977 – Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, "Blue Bayou" from Simple Dreams
• 1980 – Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female, "How Do I Make You" from Mad Love
• 1982 – Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, "Get Closer" from the album Get Closer
• 1982 – Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female, "Get Closer" from the album Get Closer
• 1983 – Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, What's New
• 1985 – Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, Lush Life
• 1987 – Album of the Year, Trio with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris
• 1987 – Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, "Somewhere Out There" from the soundtrack to An American Tail with James Ingram
• 1989 – Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind
• 1999 – Best Country Album, Trio II with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris
• 1999 – Best Contemporary Folk Album, Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions with Emmylou Harris
• 2002 – Best Traditional Folk Album, Evangeline Made: A Tribute to Cajun Music, multiple artist compilation, with vocalist Ann Savoy
• 2006 – Best Traditional Folk Album, Adieu False Heart with Ann Savoy

Arizona Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame inductee

• 2007 – For her significant impact and evolution and development of the entertainment culture in the state of Arizona.

ACM Music Award

• 1974 – Best New Female Artist
• 1987 – Best Album / 'TRIO' – Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris.

Emmy Award

• 1989 – Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program, Linda Ronstadt, Great Performances: Canciones de Mi Padre

ALMA Award

• 2008 – Trailblazer Award for Contribution to American Music

Tony Award nomination

• 1981 – Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Linda Ronstadt in The Pirates of Penzance as "Mabel"

Golden Globe Award nomination

• 1983 – Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical or Comedy, Linda Ronstadt in The Pirates of Penzance

Discography

References

Articles and interviews

• Fusion, Linda Ronstadt: Female Rocker, (December 26, 1969), Courtesy of Unofficial Linda Ronstadt Homepage
• Creem Magazine, A Heart To Heart with Linda Ronstadt (December 1976), Courtesy of Unofficial Linda Ronstadt Homepage
• Linda Ronstadt: Melancholy Baby, Esquire, (October 1985), Courtesy of Unofficial Linda Ronstadt Homepage
• The Weekend Australian: Everlasting Linda, by Debbie Kruger, Courtesy of Debbie Kruger (July 19, 1998)
• Linda Ronstadt lets wisdom strike notes, The Honolulu Advertiser (March 31, 2006)
• San Diego Union-Tribune interview
• Tucson Citizen report of the Aladdin incident
• Edmonton Sun interview "Linda Ronstadt defends her politics" (August 10, 2006)
• Calgary Sun "Ronstadt still sings sweetly" (August 10, 2006)
• Linda Ronstadt's interview with Tavis Smiley (August 5, 2006)
• Kudos To Linda Ronstadt by James Donahue
• Linda Ronstadt rocks with jazz sophistication (August 4, 2007)
• Linda Ronstadt plays NPR's "WaitWait...Don't Tell Me!" (April 28, 2007)

External links

• The Definitive Linda Ronstadt Homepage (Unofficial but comprehensive)
• Linda Ronstadt at the Internet Movie Database
• Linda Ronstadt at the Internet Broadway Database
• Linda Ronstadt at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Linda Ronstadt discography
• Tucson's Ronstadt Family History of the Ronstadt family
• VIRB.com site
• Linda Ronstadt was Inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame (winners based on fan votes)
• Future Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Induction chances and Information

Primetime Emmy Award for Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program Harvey Korman / Brenda Vaccaro (1974) · Jack Albertson / Cloris Leachman (1975) · Chevy Chase / Vicki Lawrence (1976) · Tim Conway / Rita Moreno (1977) · Tim Conway / Gilda Radner (1978) · Cloris Leachman (1984) · George Hearn (1985) · Whitney Houston (1986) · Robin Williams (1987) · Robin Williams (1988) · Linda Ronstadt (1989) · Tracey Ullman (1990) · Billy Crystal (1991) · Billy Crystal (1992) · Dana Carvey (1993) · Tracey Ullman (1994) · Barbra Streisand (1995) · Tony Bennett (1996) · Bette Midler (1997) · Billy Crystal (1998) · John Leguizamo (1999) · Eddie Izzard (2000) (1974–2000) · (2001–present)

Linda Ronstadt Stone Poneys albums The Stone Poneys featuring Linda Ronstadt · Evergreen, Volume 2 · Linda Ronstadt, Stone Poneys and Friends, Vol. III Studio albums Hand Sown ... Home Grown · Silk Purse · Linda Ronstadt · Don't Cry Now · Heart Like a Wheel · Prisoner in Disguise · Hasten Down the Wind  · Simple Dreams · Living in the USA · Mad Love · Get Closer · What's New · Lush Life · For Sentimental Reasons · Canciones de Mi Padre · Mas Canciones · Frenesi · Winter Light · Feels Like Home · Dedicated to the One I Love · We Ran · A Merry Little Christmas · Hummin' to Myself Collaborations Trio · Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind · Santiago · Trio 2 · Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions · Adieu False Heart Compilations Different Drum · Greatest Hits · A Retrospective · Greatest Hits, Volume 2 · Round Midnight · Boleros y Rancheros · The Linda Ronstadt Box Set · The Very Best of Linda Ronstadt · Mi Jardin Azul: Las Canciones Favoritas · The Best of Linda Ronstadt: The Capitol Years · Linda Ronstadt Greatest Hits I & II Related topics Discography