How is Linda Ronstadt?

I'm more worried about Joni Mitchell.

She's no good.

Love Linda Ronstadt.

She's got a crush on you, OP.

It’s a tragedy that the three of them used to provide rapturous, heavenly harmonies moving enough to make the angels cry, and now they’re only hired to pull in charity work as the Budweiser frogs.

R5 What are you babbling about

I love Linda’s version of Tumbling Dice, one of my favorites. She was quite a heartbreaker in her younger years, sounds like a lot of musicians wanted her.

I subscribe to her Google Alerts, if I'm saying it correctly. There hasn't been much reported lately, save information about tribute concerts around the US.

Hopefully dead.

Sadly, she is no longer receiving visitors.

"Just One Look" (live)

r9 Cunt!

I'm worried about Linda

It bugs me that she made a mint off of whitewashing soul classics.

oh stop

She's a culture appropriating Mexican bitch, right R14?

Don't put words in my mouth, dearie r16. I was glad that Elvis Costello threw shade on her attempted New Wave reinvention. Linda Ronstadt never established a sound. She was a covers queen.

She did what she did and she did it well.

Wasn't she on a depends commercial?

Joni is doing a lot better than Linda:

“I always think that polio was a rehearsal for the rest of my life: I’ve had to come back several times from things. And this last one was a real whopper. But, you know, I’m hobbling along but I’m doing all right!—Joni Mitchell

she has this: A re-evaluation in late 2019 changed her diagnosis to the rare brain disorder, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Ronstadt told Cooper that her illness has had a major impact on her life.

[Quote] Ronstadt told Cooper that her illness has had a major impact on her life.

No shit.

Wait, R21 — so she doesn’t have MS? Is this new diagnosis, er, better? Or worse.

I watched the excruciating documentary about Selma Blair (a lovely person—I mean ‘excruciating’ in the sense that it caused me physical and emotional anguish to watch it) and was wondering how Ronstadt was doing. Seems Selma Blair is doing okay with her stem cell transplants.

This is what the article said in more detail (it was initially Parkinson's):

"But these accolades are bittersweet. In 2000, she began to have difficulty singing. As she told CNN's Anderson Cooper, "I couldn't hear the top end of my voice. I couldn't hear the part that I used to get in tune. My throat would clutch up. It would just be like I had a cramp or something." She was initially diagnosed as having Parkinson's disease, and by 2009 she had to retire from singing. A re-evaluation in late 2019 changed her diagnosis to the rare brain disorder, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP)."

[quote] She was a covers queen.

In other words, r17, a "singer."

Thanks so much, R24. And Michael J Fox has Parkinson’s, right? While watching the Selma Blair doc, I kept thinking of him and his case of “MS”. I’m such a ditz!

l didn't like any of Elvis Costello's music until Linda released Mad Love. Here's "Girls Talk."

I hope Linda is well.

She had Parkinson's for 20 years. It's amazing she's still alive.

[quote] "She had Parkinson's for 20 years. It's amazing she's still alive."

My mother had it for thirty, and was two years younger than Linda. Give it time.

[Quote] In other words, [R17], a "singer."

No. Most don't make their career by singing other people's hits. Someone like Bonnie Raitt delved deep to build her catalogue. Linda took the easy route by doing well known hits.

[quote] Most don't make their career by singing other people's hits.

Indeed

Standards were show tunes, hon. Some of the aforementioned made them hits. And speaking of standards, let's not compare Linda's American Songbook renditions to those by some of the names you've mentioned...

Weird timing. My dream last night was that she died.

SHe's on my 2022 deathwatch.

[quote]Linda took the easy route by doing well known hits.

Only her singles, really, which are the worst of her recorded output. I'm talking about the stuff from Don't Cry Now through Get Closer, as well as some of the records after the Nelson Riddle period.

Costello still doesn't like how she performed his songs, but basically apologized for being SUCH a cunt about it and wished her well with dealing with her illness.

I was wondering about her recently as well. Love her albums from the ‘70s.

[Quote] as well as some of the records after the Nelson Riddle period.

What? Like when she foghorned her way through "Anyone Who Had a Heart"? The only latterday version of that song worth talking about is Wynonna Judd's.

I feel bad for Linda. She said she always loved to sing and now she can't. Speaking of Joni Mitchell, did she quit smoking?

Joni looks like she smokes hams.

I think Joni was forced to quit after her stroke/aneurysm.

r32 I wasn't comparing her to them, hon. I was just saying that a lot of great singers did "other people's" hits

[quote] Most don't make their career by singing other people's hits.

That's how most artists in popular music worked for years. And frankly, still do. If you believe most of your faves wrote more than a hiccup or two on their songs, you're easily tricked.

[quote] How is Linda Ronstadt?

Um....Linda? Hmm. I mean, there were just so many women hanging off of my big cock in those years....which one was Linda, again?

2022 death watch?

Who is the miserable, twisted asshole who jumped into a thread inquiring after Linda Ronstadt's precarious health just to shit all over her in post after post saying exactly the same thing?

Whoever he is, he needs to move it along.

I won't call him Toots. He deserves no such attention.

[quote] I was glad that Elvis Costello threw shade on her attempted New Wave reinvention.

Ironyproof!

Please r39, Wynonna sings that song like she’s yodeling through a mouthful of Milk Duds.

R39 You were obviously high when you wrote that.

R50 Agree, both versions are amaing. But I personally prefer Wynona's slightly more. Meanwhile, just watched "The Sound of My Voice" again. I hope she's doing well. Ronstadt is seriously a national treasure.

Wynona's version of Anyone Who Had a Heart makes my ears bleed.

But anyway, back on topic - we need a 2022 interview with Linda.

[quote]I love Linda’s version of Tumbling Dice, one of my favorites. She was quite a heartbreaker in her younger years, sounds like a lot of musicians wanted her.

Not only "wanted her", lots of musicians had her. I heard from a few friends who worked in the music biz, at one point, Linda fucked every member of her band.

I never got her appeal, she mostly yelled. I did like “Different Drum” and "You’re No Good”, but never found her voice anything special. Yes, it’s true, she never had her own sound. LR was always doing covers and her reinterpretations brought little to the original songs.

Linda didn’t even write “Different Drum”, Mike Nesmith of The Monkees wrote that song. Clint Ballard wrote ‘You’re No Good”, which was originally a hit for Dee Dee Warwick in 1963.

Linda was never a songwriter, it seemed her team picked the songs she covered. I wonder what actual level of input she had.

It’s been astonishing to see Linda has such a large rabid fanbase on DL. Especially as she’s so MOR and quite dull musically. Her private life seemed more exciting than her life as a singer.

Comparing Linda to such interpretive artists such as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan etc, is ridiculous, especially her non-style was certainly not as unique as the singers listed. Each of these listed singers brought their own unique take to the songs they performed.

For example, Rod Stewart never had a technically perfect voice, yet, he always brought a new perspective to the songs he re-interpreted, including standards to Motown to rock music. His first three solo albums were amazing, as was his work with The Faces.

R53 You seem strangely over-sensitive to this topic.

She did not write her own songs. Yet, she made them hits. It's probably mostly thanks to having a good producer but she had the voice to interpret and deliver. IMHO

R53 pretty much nails her. Her Motown covers are particularly awful. I'd disagree about Rod Stewart--kinda glad he has faded out as a little of him went a long way.

[quote]Not only "wanted her", lots of musicians had her. I heard from a few friends who worked in the music biz, at one point, Linda fucked every member of her band.

Oh please. Most women in rock during that period were very promiscuous. It came with the territory. It was also pre AIDS, where the worst thing you could catch was an STD. The 70's were a very open time sexually. It wasn't just in music.

And let's not act like a lot of the men weren't doing the same, if not worse. Shit Peter Asher, her manager, was cavorting around in public with an eighteen-year-old Mackenzie Phillips while married.

[quote]For example, Rod Stewart never had a technically perfect voice, yet, he always brought a new perspective to the songs he re-interpreted, including standards to Motown to rock music

Rod Stewart's standards albums were terrible. Elevator muzak set to his whiskey induced vocals. I still remember him butchering "WATT a wonderful world." at some awards show.

[quote][R53] pretty much nails her. Her Motown covers are particularly awful. I'd disagree about Rod Stewart--kinda glad he has faded out as a little of him went a long way.

Apparently lots of people only know Rod's hit songs, especially when he went Hollywood and his standards LPs. I was talking about to his first three solo albums, there's lots of great music there. His fourth LP "Never A Dull Moment" also has few good songs too. "You Wear It Well" which Rod wrote and "I'd Rather Go Blind" are great songs.

His first LP was called "An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down:, in the US it was released as "The Rod Stewart Album", "Gasoline Alley" and "Every Picture Tells a Story" are all excellent. His song choices for these three LPs were diverse and he also knew to hire some of the best British rock musicians of the time.

At that point, Rod had already been around the British music scene for many years, he worked with many of the influential British blues and rock bands. Fact is,

I'm not even a huge Rod Stewart fan, but it's apparent he sure knew how to make a song his own, same with the late great Joe Cocker.

I enjoy this guy’s videos: