(Image from lindaronstadt.com)
Linda is one of the greatest vocalists ever. Ever! Her multi-range voice helped her achieve noteworthy commercial success in rock, new wave, country, light opera, standards, operettas, and Mexican folk music. Much of it has been of her choice, her style, with committed determination to trust her instincts & owning her path, thus maximizing her choices.
She inspires me because she's a honest, hard-working, take-no-shit, humbly confident person, while graciously sharing her gifts with others.
She grew up on the family ranch with people that loved all musical genres. After performing in the Tucson area, a guitarist she had duetted with convinced her to join him in Los Angeles. 18 years old and determined, they formed The Stone Ponies and released a hit single. Recording companies loved the song, but “only wanted the girl”. So in her early 20s, she embarked on a glorious solo career that spanned 29 albums. She has top 10 releases in every musical genre listed above.
During the 1970s, she became the highest paid woman in rock, which enabled her to take on new wave, classical standards, operetta, and other passion projects that all succeeded. Her supportive and encouraging nature helped others on their musical journeys as well. When her backing band wanted to split off and try it on their own, she was all for it. When an early release floundered, she recorded their song “Desperado”, and the Eagles never looked back.
Through it all, Linda has remained committed to her ideals and her passions with commitment, compassion, the American arts, and staying true to herself in a world that initially just wanted her to be “the chick singer” with an all-male band.
Her Wikipedia entry is a great start in learning more about her, as is the CNN documentary “Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice”.