Linda Ronstadt has Parkinson's
 

I was so sorry to read this...



By John Horn
August 24, 2013, 9:50 a.m.
Singer Linda Ronstadt says she has Parkinson’s disease and can no longer sing.

The 67-year-old musician made the disclosure in an AARP Magazine interview posted online Friday.

Ronstadt, an 11-time Grammy winner, said that she was diagnosed with the neurological ailment about eight months ago and "can't sing a note."

“No one can sing with Parkinson’s disease,” Ronstadt said. “No matter how hard you try.”

Ronstadt said that she uses poles to help walk and uses a wheelchair when traveling.

She said in the interview that she noticed symptoms eight years ago, but assumed they were related to a tick disease.

“Parkinson’s is very hard to diagnose, so when I finally went to a neurologist and he said, ‘Oh, you have Parkinson’s disease,’ I was completely shocked. I wouldn’t have suspected that in a million, billion years," said the singer, known for such rock ballads as "You’re No Good” and “When Will I Be Loved."

Parkinson's symptoms include muscle tremors, rigidity, poor balance and faulty coordination.

Besides her fame as a singer, Ronstadt in the past was romantically linked to Gov. Jerry Brown and "Star Wars" filmmaker George Lucas.

She is the author of the forthcoming memoir "Simple Dreams," due out next month.

Source: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment...,7346755.story

That's pretty rough. She had a great voice. :(

This is such sad news. My father died from this disease. Just like Linda, he was mis diagnosed with Lyme disease caused by the bite of a tick. My prayers for Linda.

Thats to bad.I remember hearing about that when she was diagnosed with Parkinson's earlier this year..

I always loved her and her music.She can sing anything and make a hit out of it.

I was upset when I first heard when Michael J Fox got it years ago.

Plus Glen Campbell with Alzheimer's awhile back .

All three of them are great entertainers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Ronstadt

I was so sad to hear this as well. I have awesome memories of Linda Ronstadt albums- she was the first artist whose discography I began to collect on vinyl in antique shops and record stores that have long since closed their doors. I've listened to Linda's voice on vinyl many nights next to the lake where I grew up. She won't be forgotten, and I look forward to reading her memoir, which she wrote without a ghost writer. I admire her intelligence and her inimitable gift of song.

I took my two hour walk today and was listening to her songs all through the walk - songs such as Willing, Hasten Down the Wind, Love is a Rose, Someone to Lay Down Beside Me, Heart Like a Wheel, Cry Like a Rainstorm and Howl Like the Wind, Blue Bayou...

I was in heaven. This is such sad news. She always chose the best songs to sing.

My 3rd fav female singer (behind Stevie & Chris). And oh what a voice she had. This makes me so sad.

ET had a couple second report tonight about Linda's condition.

No new info that we read online in the past few days.

Sorry to hear this! Linda Ronstadt is one of the most talented people on the earth and I hope that she will find a way to stay active and creative in spite of this disease. She might not sing again but we are left with legendary and always inspiring set of music that she has produced through the years. Today I'm going to celebrate the greatness of her 1993 album "Winter Light", which perfectly defines her artistry.

Such sad news ! Linda worked with Waddy Wachtel for years. He was her road guitarist during her 1970's rock n roll heyday. I wonder if Waddy and Linda still talk. Linda also dated California Governor Jerry Brown for years.

I wondered why Linda had suddenly stopped recording over 5 years ago and went into retirement.One of the great voices of the rock era will be missed.

Does anybody know where she picked up Parkinson's from?

It was from a tick bite-- there is increasing evidence that Parkinson's is linked to ticks. She even mentions the tick problem in the AARP article:

http://www.aarp.org/entertainment/bo...le-dreams.html

Wow .Thanks for the info.

I lost a neighbor about 40 years of a tick bite.

No, not from a tick bite. She was mis diagnosed with Lyme disease which is the result of a tick bite. The early symptoms of Parkinson's are often mistaken for Lyme disease.

Oh ok.I have to ask my uncle which he was friends with my neighbor at the time that he got bitten 40 years ago.

My dad and my ex boss had Lyme disease they were lucky and fought it out.I dont remember what was the case with my neighbor which he went quick after he got bitten by the tick when he was on vacation up in Vermont .He was in his 40's.

I'm still upset over this news about Linda. She has help so many artists to get started in the biz.I'm so proud of her doing it.

She is another artist that falls into the underrated dept.

There was a very nice interview/article about Linda in the Sunday NY Times. Here is the link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/01/ar...nted=all&_r=0"

Thanks what a great article..I can't wait for the book.I can't believe Linda is running out of money no wonder Stevie has always been big on the importance of writing your own material.

I enjoyed the article very much. Thank you.

Bumping thread rather than start a new one to mention that Diane Sawyer did a brief interview with Linda on World News Tonight on 9/13 evening news. I happened upon it unexpectedly. I suppose it will be available on the ABC site somewhere. It didn't contain much new info, but I could tell by Linda's speaking voice that the Parkinsons has had an effect. So sad for her to not be able to sing anymore.

Linda Ronstadt's new memoir book is out (came out yesterday)- here is a youtube with Linda talking about it (Simon & Shuster trailer). Who knew books had trailers?

Was listening to her interview on NPR yesterday (I don't think the interview was from yesterday but I heard it yesterday), very scary to think you don't know what's going to happen to you. My dad has Parkinson's, it can be really really rough. Hopefully she doesn't have as awful a time with it as her grandmother did.