# Classic Tracks - Linda Ronstadt - Choose your favourites...



## Guest (Jul 24, 2018)

View attachment 105931


This is one of a series of polls in which you will be asked nothing more than to choose your favourite tunes from the artist in question.

Please *choose up to eight selections* for this particular poll.

On all polls created if you click on the number of votes following the song title the username of all voters and their chosen selections will appear.

The tunes themselves (when available) will be found below the poll itself as links rather than as embedded videos due to bandwidth issues for those who wish to reacquaint themselves with a tune that may have receded a bit too far into the past to be remembered with the clarity that came when they were first released...

Next up is - Linda Ronstadt -

"Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is an American retired popular music singer known for singing in a wide range of genres including rock, country, jazz, light opera, and Latin.

She has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three American Music Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, and an ALMA Award, and many of her albums have been certified gold, platinum or multiplatinum in the United States and internationally.

She has also earned nominations for a Tony Award and a Golden Globe award. She was awarded the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award by The Latin Recording Academy in 2011 and also awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award by The Recording Academy in 2016.

She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2014. On July 28, 2014, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts and Humanities. In 2019, she will receive a joint star with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

After completing her last live concert in late 2009, Ronstadt retired in 2011. She was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in December 2012, which left her unable to sing.

Your commentary on any and every aspect of the album and especially any memories reawakened as a result of the poll is welcomed.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Not so much the singer as it was the songs, though Linda was certainly easy on the eyes. I did enjoy several of her Spanish-language Mexican songs also. _Different Drum_ and _Long, Long Time_ were my favorite Linda Ronstadt songs and remain so today. Much has been made by some of the alleged quality of her voice, but I never found her voice to be other than perfectly adequate to the task.


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## Guest (Jul 24, 2018)

"Different Drum" -






"Long, Long Time" -






"Silver Threads and Golden Needles" -






"You're No Good" -






"When Will I Be Loved" -






"Heat Wave" -






"The Tracks of my Tears" -






"That'll Be the Day" -






"Blue Bayou" -






"It's So Easy" -






"Poor Poor Pitiful Me" -






"Ooh Baby Baby" -






"How Do I Make You" -






"Hurt So Bad" -






"Don't Know Much" -


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## Guest (Jul 24, 2018)

Strange Magic said:


> Not so much the singer as it was the songs, though Linda was certainly easy on the eyes. I did enjoy several of her Spanish-language Mexican songs also. _Different Drum_ and _Long, Long Time_ were my favorite Linda Ronstadt songs and remain so today. Much has been made by some of the alleged quality of her voice, but I never found her voice to be other than perfectly adequate to the task.


I think that she's one of the greats - just grabbed those tunes by the throat and really let it rip - powerful yet always lovely voice.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Sydney Nova Scotia said:


> I think that she's one of the greats - just grabbed those tunes by the throat and really let it rip - powerful yet always lovely voice.


I completely respect your opinion of Linda Ronstadt's pipes. Where would you rank her in relation to Grace Slick and Ann Wilson?


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## Guest (Jul 24, 2018)

Strange Magic said:


> I completely respect your opinion of Linda Ronstadt's pipes. Where would you rank her in relation to Grace Slick and Ann Wilson?


Grace Slick really didn't have the pipes - not much real range - but she used her voice as an instrument and thus was a better musician than Ann Wilson who did have the pipes and the range but lacked whatever it is that separates a craftsman from an artist.

Grace Slick did more with less and Ann Wilson did less with more... but I would still choose Ronstadt over either as a musician.

Interesting video which separates Slick's voice -






and one that separates Wilson's voice -


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Strange Magic said:


> Not so much the singer as it was the songs, though Linda was certainly easy on the eyes. I did enjoy several of her Spanish-language Mexican songs also. _Different Drum_ and _Long, Long Time_ were my favorite Linda Ronstadt songs and remain so today. Much has been made by some of the alleged quality of her voice, but I never found her voice to be other than *perfectly* adequate to the task.


That is the key, perfectly! She is amazing.


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## RogerExcellent (Jun 11, 2018)

Gosh, I had a crush on this lassy when I was much younger


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Where is the "vocals isolated" video for Linda? And I'm not sure _Barracuda_ is a suitable vehicle with which to judge any singer. You might try Ann Wilson live singing _You're the Voice_; Grace with _Love Too Good_. Wilson has one of the most powerful voices at volume in rock, IMO, and has an unfailing vibrato. My critique (very mild) of Linda's voice is her upper register--it can get a bit thin. But it sure beats mine! :lol:


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## Guest (Jul 24, 2018)

Strange Magic said:


> Where is the "vocals isolated" video for Linda? And I'm not sure _Barracuda_ is a suitable vehicle with which to judge any singer. You might try Ann Wilson live singing _You're the Voice_; Grace with _Love Too Good_. Wilson has one of the most powerful voices at volume in rock, IMO, and has an unfailing vibrato. My critique (very mild) of Linda's voice is her upper register--it can get a bit thin. But it sure beats mine! :lol:


I can't really disagree with anything that you've written. If I could have found an isolated vocals track for Ronstadt that would have ably demonstrated craft combined with artistry I would have but despite searching extensively none have turned up.

"Barracuda" is a really tough song to sing and she completely nails it from the lowest vocal register to the highest and so I would respectfully disagree in regards to its being a "suitable vehicle with which to judge any singer". Grace Slick on her best day could not sing that tune and in this particular instance Ronstadt's version would be workmanlike at best and uninspired at worst as she would have to substantially alter the arrangement to suit her register.

I would never think to dispute the contention that Ann Wilson has one of the most powerful voices in general much less at volume in rock but her technique is not necessarily coupled with interpretive ability to the extent that the other two possess. Wilson is undeniably a great singer but I can't really say that I've ever heard her sing anything that would suggest that hers is a _heart_ that has ever been broken...


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

^^^^I agree. _Barracuda_, if offered up as a "vocals only" example for all three women might prove quite interesting indeed. But you are certainly correct in your assessment that Wilson does execute it probably like no other in the actual full recording. Her cover of _Tell It Like It Is_ is pretty soulful, but she certainly doesn't do heartbreak like Linda in _Long, Long Time_. Three fine singers, and all dark-tressed objects of fantasy in their day......


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

The Winter Light album had Linda covering two Bacharach songs nicely--the always tear-inducing _Anyone Who Had a Heart_, and _I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself_; also very nice is _Heartbeats Accelerating_. These would count as big favorites of mine.


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## Belowpar (Jan 14, 2015)

I was never completely sure of her voice. Some days I liked her interpretations and others it just seemed a little harsh in the higher reaches…

But I do admire her unusual career as she harked back to an earlier time where chanteuses would put their own touch on songs also covered by others. She stood out from the rest of the 'California' singer songwriter crowd.
Later she was brave and risked losing her audience as she broke away from the rock songs that Asher fed her.

One of the first of that era to cover The Great American Songbook






The beautiful 'bluegrass' Trio albums with Emmylou and Dolly






Even G&S on stage in a hugely fun version.






But mostly I love her for helping people get to know about Kate and Anna McGarrigle.






Sadly she is now ill and unable to perform. Good luck Linda.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

I voted "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" as most beautiful.
Your no good very close second .


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I prefer Grace Slick. And from listening to the isolated vocals you can hear that she is a great vocalist. For Linda I prefer some album cuts to her top 40 hits. If I had to pick one I'd go with Blue Bayou over any of the rock songs.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

My favourite album of hers is fairly recent (2006):










Adieu False Heart (Linda Ronstadt and Ann Savoy)


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## Shaughnessy (Dec 31, 2020)

starthrower said:


> I prefer Grace Slick. And from listening to the isolated vocals you can hear that she is a great vocalist. For Linda I prefer some album cuts to her top 40 hits. If I had to pick one I'd go with Blue Bayou over any of the rock songs.


Seconding the "Grace Slick" as great vocalist sentiment - This stand-alone vocal track is a stronger example than the one posted above -


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## Shaughnessy (Dec 31, 2020)

Sydney Nova Scotia said:


> Grace Slick really didn't have the pipes - not much real range - but she used her voice as an instrument and thus was *a better musician than Ann Wilson who did have the pipes and the range but lacked whatever it is that separates a craftsman from an artist.*
> 
> Grace Slick did more with less and *Ann Wilson did less with more... but I would still choose Ronstadt over either as a musician.*


With all due respect to SNS (who I suspect factored in "easy on the eyes" - as so well stated by Strange magic) into the equation) this is exhibit A on why the above statement is one that I couldn't possibly agree with in good conscience -






Ann Wison could sing everything that Ronstadt ever sang just as well, if not better and I would question the validity of the reverse statement - although to be fair I'm not entirely certain that they should even be considered peers of one another as each followed clearly distinct musical paths.


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