Qustion on Linda Ronstadt

[PolishStevieFan]

Thanks to Stevie in part I discovered Linda Ronstadt. I know that she doesn't write her own songs but she's had few enjoyable covers. Lately I've bought her 1980 album "Mad Love" and must say it's quite amazing. I didn't expect Linda Ronstadt to sing in a New Wave/Punk way. I have a question: are there any other albums by this artist worth checking out? I will be grateful for information.

[chiliD]

Pretty much anything she did prior to that album is worth checking out: (but, take it with a grain of salt, I was a really big Linda Ronstadt fan back in the 70's. I liked her country/rock material the best, wasn't a big fan of her delving into the 40's standards or her foray into the Mariachi sounding stuff)

Silk Purse
Hand Sown...Home Grown
Linda Ronstadt (w/a majority of the Eagles as her backup band)
Don't Cry Now
Heart Like A Wheel
Prisoner In Disguise
Simple Dreams
Hasten Down The Wind
Get Closer
Cry Like A Rainstorm
Hummin' To Myself (her "jazz" album)

Or, the two she did with The Stone Poneys:
The Stone Poneys
Evergreen, Vol 2

The bolded ones being the ones when (IMHO) she was at her peak of both her voice and popularity.

Since you're seemingly on a path of "discovery", may I also suggest you check out Karla Bonoff (she wrote quite a few songs covered by Linda). Her All My Life: The Best Of Karla Bonoff is a great overview of her career and features almost all the songs that were covered by Linda as well. (it's interesting to hear the similarities & differences of how the songwriter herself presents the songs compared to the more familiar Linda Ronstadt versions).

[PolishStevieFan]

Thanks a lot for sharing this knowledge I am not going to explore her "Great American Songbook" albums, because to be honest I am not into this type of "elevator muzak". On the other hand, I am quite interested in her Spanish-language albums. There was a time when I was a big fan of Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine (my guilty pleasure), so maybe there's something good to discover. I read a lot about "Heart Like a Wheel". Seems like a landmark album of her career, so maybe that will be good starting point. Anyway, thanks again for advice

[JWS]

Originally Posted by PolishStevieFan

Thanks a lot for sharing this knowledge I am not going to explore her "Great American Songbook" albums, because to be honest I am not into this type of "elevator muzak". On the other hand, I am quite interested in her Spanish-language albums. There was a time when I was a big fan of Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine (my guilty pleasure), so maybe there's something good to discover. I read a lot about "Heart Like a Wheel". Seems like a landmark album of her career, so maybe that will be good starting point. Anyway, thanks again for advice

Yes indeed. Ronstadt's best work imo.

[Macfanforever]

She's great.I love her music.She can sing anything that you can give to her.

[Tango]

Not directly related to the opening post, but maybe interesting to some:

NEW YORK (AP) — Linda Ronstadt broke barriers for women as one of the top-selling artists of her generation, and she's going to detail how she did it in a new memoir for Simon & Schuster.

The book publisher announced Thursday that it had acquired her autobiography, titled "Heart Like a Wheel," after her Grammy-winning, multiplatinum album.

In a statement, Simon & Schuster said: "Few singers have been as wide-ranging or distinctive in their artistry."

Ronstadt sold tens of millions of records starting in the 1970s with pop hits like "You're No Good" and "When Will I Be Loved." But she also segued into country, pop standards and mariachi music, among other genres.

She also had high-profile romances with California Gov. Jerry Brown and George Lucas.

The book is due in 2013.
___
Online:
http://www.simonandschuster.com

news.yahoo.com/linda-ronstadt-write-memoir-190117325.html

[PolishStevieFan]

The thing that surprises me the most is that Linda Ronstadt appeared to be popular only in US. I haven't heard anything by her on Polish radio. Strange, because she had beautiful voice. "Hurt So Bad" and "How Do I Make You" are incredible songs but "I Can't Wait" to discover other pearls from her discography (which seems to be quite lengthy).

[Dodfather]

Originally Posted by chiliD

Pretty much anything she did prior to that album is worth checking out: (but, take it with a grain of salt, I was a really big Linda Ronstadt fan back in the 70's. I liked her country/rock material the best, wasn't a big fan of her delving into the 40's standards or her foray into the Mariachi sounding stuff)

Silk Purse
Hand Sown...Home Grown
Linda Ronstadt (w/a majority of the Eagles as her backup band)
Don't Cry Now
Heart Like A Wheel
Prisoner In Disguise
Simple Dreams
Hasten Down The Wind
Get Closer
Cry Like A Rainstorm
Hummin' To Myself (her "jazz" album)

Or, the two she did with The Stone Poneys:
The Stone Poneys
Evergreen, Vol 2

The bolded ones being the ones when (IMHO) she was at her peak of both her voice and popularity.

Since you're seemingly on a path of "discovery", may I also suggest you check out Karla Bonoff (she wrote quite a few songs covered by Linda). Her All My Life: The Best Of Karla Bonoff is a great overview of her career and features almost all the songs that were covered by Linda as well. (it's interesting to hear the similarities & differences of how the songwriter herself presents the songs compared to the more familiar Linda Ronstadt versions).

Originally Posted by PolishStevieFan

I read a lot about "Heart Like a Wheel". Seems like a landmark album of her career, so maybe that will be good starting point. Anyway, thanks again for advice

I'm a big Linda fan and got quite excited and all set to list her best (in my opinion) albums... and then saw that Chili got there before me and that his advice is just what I'd give! I'd definitely go for all of those albums in bold. Linda and I also have the same birthday, which is of interest to nobody but me!

For a general overview of her earlier material and the first few albums on Chili's list I'd recommend the 2-disc collection The Best Of The Capitol Years. It's reasonably priced and includes the albums Silk Purse, Hand Sown...Home Grown, Linda Ronstadt and Heart Like A Wheel. It's a great way to get the earlier stuff. Strangely it doesn't include Don't Cry Now, even though this came before Heart Like A Wheel which was actually recorded on either Reprise or Asylum! (can't remember which)

In general I much prefer her country rock material than her rock n roll covers, although they are fun. Prisoner In Disguise in particular is excellent, especially You Tell Me That I'm Falling Down.

For later stuff I'd also include Feels Like Home (1995) and especially We Ran (1998). There's also a brilliant duets album with Emmylou Harris - Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions from 1999.

Good call on the Karla Bonoff collection too.

[PolishStevieFan]

Thanks for the tips. I've already ordered "Heart Like a Wheel" and "Feels Like Home" (because it was too cheap to sleep on it )

[markolas]

Linda may not be the best interpreter of them, but standards are hardly "elevator muzak."

Anyway...Heart Like a Wheel is probably her best album. Mad Love is an interesting one, too - it was her only foray into new wave music, except for that cover of Elvis Costello's "Alison" on Back in the U.S.A.

She's led an interesting life...hopefully her autobiography will reflect that.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by Tango

Not directly related to the opening post, but maybe interesting to some:

NEW YORK (AP) — Linda Ronstadt broke barriers for women as one of the top-selling artists of her generation, and she's going to detail how she did it in a new memoir for Simon & Schuster.

She also had high-profile romances with California Gov. Jerry Brown and George Lucas.

The book is due in 2013.

I'm not sure whether this is going to be a particularly interesting read or not. If there is one thing everyone can agree about Linda Ronstadt is that she has never opened up about her private life. She has given many interviews- mostly about music, politics and art- but we hardly know anything about her as a person. Could it be that she is harboring some deeply-held, dark secret, or is her private life a complete snooze that isn't worth mentioning (like mine, for example. )? Well, even if there are no juicy tidbits about her private life in the book, I am endlessly fascinated by her ramblings about music. She really has been a musical journey(wo)man who has seen and done it all. And she takes it all very, very seriously.

I read in a recent-ish interview (2010) that she is completely retired now and that she is basically a full-time mother of adopted children living in San Francisco. There was no mention of her health, but I'd read somewhere that it is not great. I was hoping that Linda would be singing well into her old age, but she admits that she doesn't have the voice anymore. Who knows if she is just being modest or whether she has really lost that voice?

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by markolas

Linda may not be the best interpreter of them, but standards are hardly "elevator muzak."

Anyway...Heart Like a Wheel is probably her best album. Mad Love is an interesting one, too - it was her only foray into new wave music, except for that cover of Elvis Costello's "Alison" on Back in the U.S.A.

She's led an interesting life...hopefully her autobiography will reflect that.

{slaps forehead} "D'OH!" I completely forgot about the Back In The USA album! That should be in my bolded album list, too!

Also, the Feels Like Home album, too...that has a great cover of Tom Petty's "The Waiting".

[PolishStevieFan]

Originally Posted by markolas

Linda may not be the best interpreter of them, but standards are hardly "elevator muzak."

Anyway...Heart Like a Wheel is probably her best album. Mad Love is an interesting one, too - it was her only foray into new wave music, except for that cover of Elvis Costello's "Alison" on Back in the U.S.A.

She's led an interesting life...hopefully her autobiography will reflect that.

Maybe you're right...but I am tired of listening ageing music legends singing the same songs over and over again (with slightly different arrangements) I used to like Natalie Cole's stuff from the early 90's ("Unforgettable...With Love", "Take a Look") but now I can't stand it anymore. There's too much of this type of music out there. The only decent "cover" album I've heard in a long time is probably "At Last" by Cyndi Lauper (even though it still has got its dull moments as well)

[JWS]

Originally Posted by Tango

Not directly related to the opening post, but maybe interesting to some:

NEW YORK (AP) — Linda Ronstadt broke barriers for women as one of the top-selling artists of her generation, and she's going to detail how she did it in a new memoir for Simon & Schuster.

The book publisher announced Thursday that it had acquired her autobiography, titled "Heart Like a Wheel," after her Grammy-winning, multiplatinum album.

In a statement, Simon & Schuster said: "Few singers have been as wide-ranging or distinctive in their artistry."

Ronstadt sold tens of millions of records starting in the 1970s with pop hits like "You're No Good" and "When Will I Be Loved." But she also segued into country, pop standards and mariachi music, among other genres.

She also had high-profile romances with California Gov. Jerry Brown and George Lucas.

The book is due in 2013.
___
Online:
http://www.simonandschuster.com

news.yahoo.com/linda-ronstadt-write-memoir-190117325.html

I remember Ronstadt and Brown went on a big game hunt Africa safari together. There was a photo of them riding an elephant!

[Travisevian]

Originally Posted by PolishStevieFan

Thanks to Stevie in part I discovered Linda Ronstadt. I know that she doesn't write her own songs but she's had few enjoyable covers. Lately I've bought her 1980 album "Mad Love" and must say it's quite amazing. I didn't expect Linda Ronstadt to sing in a New Wave/Punk way. I have a question: are there any other albums by this artist worth checking out? I will be grateful for information.

Mad Love is an album I really like as well. I've not heard her entire catalogue but would recommend the following albums:

Heart Like A Wheel
Get Closer
What's New
Trio(with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris)
Cry Like A Rainstorm, Howl Like The Wind
Winter Light(my personal favourite)
Feels Like Home
We Ran
Trio II
Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions(with Emmylou Harris)

Originally Posted by Tango

news.yahoo.com/linda-ronstadt-write-memoir-190117325.html

How wonderful! I'm looking forward to reading this.

Originally Posted by Dodfather

Linda and I also have the same birthday, which is of interest to nobody but me!

My brother shares the same birthday. He was born on Linda's 30th birthday.

Originally Posted by markolas

Linda may not be the best interpreter of them, but standards are hardly "elevator muzak."

When I saw Linda in concert for the first(and last) time in November of 2003, she performed those pop standards. You wouldn't believe how resentful some people were because she wasn't singing her signature hits and how they openly complained in the venue after the performance. Had those unsophisticated bores actually followed her career, they might have realized that she preferred singing the older songs. Nevertheless, it was one of the greatest concerts I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. (She opened with What's New and closed with Goodbye, which I thought was rather clever.) I also should mention that I was in the very front row!

Originally Posted by markolas

She's led an interesting life...hopefully her autobiography will reflect that.

Indeed, she has but I would imagine that this will not be an incredibly candid memoir. Candour isn't Linda's style at all.

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

I'm not sure whether this is going to be a particularly interesting read or not.

It will undoubtedly be interesting but I'd imagine that Linda is too reserved to reveal anything too personal.

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

There was no mention of her health, but I'd read somewhere that it is not great.

I'd read that she was diagnosed long ago with a thyroid condition(Hashimoto's disease) and was also recently diagnosed with diabetes.

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

I was hoping that Linda would be singing well into her old age, but she admits that she doesn't have the voice anymore. Who knows if she is just being modest or whether she has really lost that voice?

Linda has a history of being overly modest, especially about her music. I doubt that she has lost that voice but her range is probably not quite as broad as it used to be. However, when I saw her in concert, she was well into her fifties and her voice was excellent.