Linda Ronstadt

[cw]

OK, I'm an old fart and perhaps that can come across in my musical taste but maybe I just prefer singers who can sing and musicians with some semblance of instrumental credibility rather than poseurs totally reliant on studio manipulation and playback.

Like Stev, I grew up in the 70's and ,whilst it certainly had it's quota of total dross, I have came to appreciate the quality of many artists that I grew up with. This era WAS definitely blessed with some female artists who's quality ranks them amongst the greats of recording history. This sector has already identified a few with Anna & Frida of ABBA and Karen Carpenter. May I nominate another .... Linda Ronstadt.

She first came to light in the late 60's and wa one of the major female artists of the 70's crossing many genres. In the early 70's her backing group contained a number of guys who later became the Eagles (with whom she continued to perform from time to time). At the end of the 70's, she then broadened her gamut by venturing into "the Great American Songbook" recording with orchestra leader Nelson Riddle and even crossed into Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. She had considerable range on her voice but ,unlike the divas of today, did not go in for vocal gymnastics unecessarily.

Even then, image counted and this was a mixed blessing for her. As the clips below evidence, Linda was stunning and in fact sometimes played down the glamour as a response to the barbs.

Artistically, she did cross a number of genres and one area that she did excel was with covers where she put down a few offerings that arguably bettered the original.

Below is one of my favourite example ..... a studio clip of Smokey Robinson's classic "Tracks of MyTears. Watch the very end of the clip ........ can we think of someone else with similar mannerism ??
www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5Wp-BNNCxY

Arguably one of THE renditions of Desperado, Linda and not a bad backing crew ...... the Eagles.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHS1Jey4clk&NR=1

[DazedOblivion]

*raised hand*

I'm a big fan of Linda Ronstadt, probably the ultimate genre-shifting singer of all time, covering folk, operetta, country, country rock, American roots, Motown, classic pop standards, soul, lullabies, and Mariachi! ;D All this was no doubt a function of her upbringing, but the fact that a single voice could pull off these ventures into each of those genres is a tribute to her incredible singing talent.

As a fan, I stayed with her even into the Mariachi music period, because I enjoy hearing her sing. As a kid, I didn't have any of her albums, but I borrowed a friend's Simple Dreams LP, and she was ALWAYS on the radio. I spent many a long, lonely drive from home to college and back, listening to her work with the late Nelson Riddle. It was a good education to 20's to 50's pop standards.

Here's one from her early years when she was with the Stone Poneys.
HQ

Here is her version of "Faithless Love" written by J.D. Souther (who wrote a lot of the Eagles tunes, too):
HQ

Here's a cover she did of a Bob Dylan song with photos that bear out my memories of how much of a "looker" she was when I was a youth:
HQ

Here's one of my faves from her years as a pop standard singer (called "What'll I Do"). Some of my friends dropped off as fans after she went in this direction, but I got hooked!
HQ

And from her Mariachi period, a beautiful song called "Sol Que Tu Eres":
HQ

I couldn't find any good videos of her work in the 1980's with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris as part of "The Trio" - but those three-part harmonies are awesome!

Wombat, I hope this gives the others a sense of her versatility! One great CD that I recommend is called The Best of Linda Ronstadt: The Capitol Years.

[cw]

Agree with all you've written, Steve. She had the guts ... and more importantly the talent to range across the spectrum. AM actually familiar with "The Trio" and have came across a few clips. Actually saw a very interesting clip dating back to @ 92 from a US TV show with Linda singing the old Bacharach/David classic "Anyone Who Had A Heart" (made famous by Dione Warwick & later Helen Reddy in the US & Cilla Black in the UK). In this performance, she was accompaied by jazz great Wynton Marsalis on sax.

Sadly, she has been struck down with Hashimoto's Disease (a severe thyroid problem) in recent years. She does, however, leave a legacy that stands amongst the great female vocalists in recording history and also stands in stark contrast to the overwhelming majority of today's pretenders.

PS. Steve, DID you catch the little shrug at the end of the "Tracks of My Tears" clip. Put the clock ahead 25 odd years and does another small brunette not show some similar mannerisms ??

[DazedOblivion]

Mar 30, 2009 13:43:54 GMT 1 cw said:

Sadly, she has been struck down with Hashimoto's Disease (a severe thyroid problem) in recent years. She does, however, leave a legacy that stands amongst the great female vocalists in recording history and also stands in stark contrast to the overwhelming majority of today's pretenders.

Oh I didn't know that! That's such a terrible shame.

Mar 30, 2009 13:43:54 GMT 1 cw said:

PS. Steve, DID you catch the little shrug at the end of the "Tracks of My Tears" clip. Put the clock ahead 25 odd years and does another small brunette not show some similar mannerisms ??

Haha, yes I did notice that mannerism. It seems possible that when Anton Corbjin took some of those photos of Andrea for Ten Feet High, he was likely going for that same look that Linda Ronstadt had in the late 60's.

[cw]

Yes, can definitely the parallel. Looking at more old clips and can see more than a few similarities between the 2. OK, the obvious ones .... both small brunettes, both extremely photogenic, both with wonderful expressive voices and interestingly both at their best when they are singing "easy". Fair to say that both may be described as quirky characters. Another curious point, given Andrea's proclivity, was that Linda also preferred to perform barefoot !! Despite her successes; like other great contempararies of the time such as the Eagles, Karen Carpenter; Linda was never given real respect by the so-called cognoscenti .... ahem.

Here are a couple of interesting clips.
A 1995 interview which is really interesting listening. You can see the early signs of her Hashimotos.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XnRYK1rRoE
This is probably the most recent, from Dec2004. The 3rd clip is a performance from that show. The voice is STILL impressive.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU7YrMrBwig
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJc1skRfsbY&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtibU38o8vQ&feature=related

You spoke of the trio with Dolly Parton & Emmy-lou Harris. This is one from their 2nd collaboration - High Sierra (I suspect this is from the later 90's). This ain't my favourite musical genre but class crosses all boundaries.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cnieh0Y1V-o&feature=related

One final thought. Many have likened Andrea Corr vocally to Karen Carpenter and Linda Ronstadt. She has her own individuality and is by no means a mere copy yet the comparison is well-made.To be likened to/seen as an heiress to some of the greatest female vocalists in popular music history should not be seen as anything other than an enormous honour.

[DazedOblivion]

Yes, well said: there are distinctions to be made, but the comparisons should be taken as a compliment.

That was an interesting interview where she's saying that she hasn't yet learned how to sing.

[DazedOblivion]

I just came across this twin performance of "Desperado" and "You're No Good" - I've seen portions of it before on YouTube but not the back-to-back that we can see HERE. It's a fine showcase of Linda's versatile vocal abilities. Great stuff!

[DazedOblivion]

Here are some live performances from Offenbach, Germany in 1976:

When Will I Be Loved


You're No Good

(again I know, but it's such a good performance!)

Desperado


Silver Threads and Golden Needles


Love Has No Pride


Heart Like A Wheel


I got a little carried away and nearly put them all in this post, but there are others. I still can't find a decent YouTube of "Prisoner in Disguise", which is a disappointment because it's one of my favourites.

One has to wonder what Jean Corr must have sounded like when she performed some of these songs.

[cw]

Some interesting clips of Linda. Can actually raise you another couple.

Here is an actual appearance with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra in 1984 during her sojourn into the "golden oldies". This is "Someone To Watch Over Me"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0oRfg5RyVA

Here is one of the most recent clips available, from 2006. Again, she is singing a "classic" ... or maybe that's just my music taste speaking. In this case Rodgers & Hart's "Bewitched Bothered & Bewildered". Vocally, she still has it ... in spades .. as regards range, control & artistry.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLS2R8Cdh6A

Your earlier comments re Jean Corr are interesting. Her children have spoken repeatedly ..with some awe .. of her voice & it's Karen Carpenter tone. The quality & purity of the harmony of her three daughters were sheer magic to listen to .... this listener would have paid very good money to have heard Mother and Daughters sing together. Perhaps, I may not be alone on that score ...

[DazedOblivion]

I have that first performance - and that entire concert - on VHS. The bad news is that I don't have a VHS player any more. Has that concert with Nelson Riddle made it to DVD yet? It should!

I took a shine to LR's foray into the pop standards and spent many a long driving trip in the 1980's listening to cassettes of those three albums with those lush, shimmering Nelson Riddle arrangements. Many of these pop standards were new to me, so it was a good education as well.