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Linda Pop

Happy 75th birthday to Linda Ronstadt. 

She doesn't have the same alt-country cred as Emmylou, but she deserved it. She didn't have that direct link to Gram, but she probably did the best job of pulling off his mix of rock, country and soul. Maybe our ilk holds the Eagles against her. Maybe it's because there was nothing "alt" about her. Growing up, her music was everywhere, whether it was Dad's country station - WMAQ, or my aunt's pop station - WOKY. 

Her last two "rock" albums - Mad Love and Get Closer - ventured away from the country. Perhaps too established to be new wave or power pop, she put some punchy covers by the Cretones and Billy Thermal and Elvis Costello. While her earlier cover of "Allison" featured the anodyne west coast production values of the time, two of the three covers on Mad Love hold their own. Even her oldies covers are primarily British Invasion era pop of the type favored by the skinny tie set.

Over the past year, two Dadrock 101 interns - Nick and Julie - have independently recommended watching Linda Ronstadt: the Sound of My Voice. It's a great documentary. Linda narrates it, and those familiar with the ravages of Parkinson's might catch some of its tonal qualities in her voice. Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou, Dolly, Linda's Asylum stablemates, and others illuminate various aspects of her career.

There is one scene, shot for the film, were she sings a Spanish-language folk song. "This isn't singing", she says of her voice. 

But it is, just with a creak in it.



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  1. CraigJuly 15, 2021 at 8:54 PM

    I love Linda. Always have. Always will.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousJuly 18, 2021 at 11:29 AM

      Willie Nelson reputedly said "There are two types of men in this world: those who have a crush on Linda Ronstadt, and those who have never heard of her."

      Delete

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