I was in love with Linda Ronstadt and her music for much of the 1960s and 1970s. But today, Linda Ronstadt is suffering from Parkinson’s and can no longer sing. She’s also in dire financial straits. That’s one of the reasons I bought this uneven collection of duets. You can read Bill Crider’s fine review of Duets here. You can’t beat Linda Ronstadt’s duets with J.D. Souther and Aaron Neville. “Somewhere Out There” with James Ingram won two Grammys. It still sounds great to these ears. If you want to support a struggling artist, buy a copy of Duets. GRADE: B
TRACK LIST:
1 Adieu False Heart – Ann Savoy (3:34)
2 I Can’t Get Over You – Ann Savoy (3:06)
3 Walk Away Renee – Ann Savoy (3:24)
4 The New Partner Waltz – Carl Jackson (2:50)
5 I Never Will Marry -Dolly Parton (3:13)
6 Pretty Bird – Laurie Lewis (2:38)
7 I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still In Love With You) – Emmylou Harris (2:46)
8 Hasten Down the Wind – Don Henley (2:42)
9 Prisoner In Disguise – J.D. Souther (3:53)
10 I Think It’s Gonna Work Out Fine – James Taylor (4:01)
11 Don’t Know Much -Aaron Neville & Skywalker Symphony Orchestra (3:34)
12 All My Life – Aaron Neville & Skywalker Symphony Orchestra (3:31)
13 Somewhere Out There – James Ingram (3:59)
14 Sisters – Bette Midler (2:54)
15 Moonlight In Vermont -Frank Sinatra (4:05)
Oh Linda, Linda…(*sigh*). I will definitely be ordering this. The duet with Emmylou is a favorite. I have several of these on other albums but it will be good having them all together and the picture…um, never mind.
Jeff, like you I have all these songs on other CDs. But I wanted to help Linda so I bought DUETS.
She was gorgeous and I have a few of her CDs. So sad. Parkinson’s seems to be on an upswing.
Patti, you’re right. Parkinson’s is on the rise. It’s a cruel disease.
Glad you enjoyed this one. It’s sad that she can’t record anymore, but compilations of the older work are nice to have.
Bill, I hope Linda has as many songs in the Vault as Elvis did.
It’s not only sad to think of her lovely voice gone, but it’s shocking to realize that, despite a four-decades long career with multiple best-selling albums and concert tours, Linda is basically bankrupt and needs to reissue and repackage her back catalog just to make ends meet. I don’t think we’ll be able to listen to this music the same way ever again.
Deb, I feel the same way about Linda Ronstadt’s situation as you do. It’s heartbreaking that Parkinson’s has robbed Linda of her singing voice. Many artists (and their “managers”) mismanage their finances. Many musicians never paid into Social Security (they were paid in cash much of the time) and now that they’re old they can’t collect.
Ronstadt had a mid-level career (as opposed to super star rocker type) and didn’t avail herself of secondary income opportunities. A fairly private person, her appearances and albums were spaced out over time and never paid big. She didn’t burn her money on drugs or mansions or wild life, but she has had medical bills and without health insurance… I enjoyed her recent autobiography.
Ronstadt had the most glorious singing voice of the rock and roll era. She is quite comfortable financially (wealthier than most contemporaries)- the NY Times did an interview where the journalist, in an otherwise excellent profile, discussed the high price of real estate in San Francisco where Linda lives and as Linda said “misrepresented” her situation. She also owns a second gorgeous home in her hometown of Tuscon. She was a seminal figure in combining folk, rock, country and roots music. Her first hit was 1968 and her albums up through 1990s chart toppers with AAron Neville all went double, triple platinum. Her devotees included everyone from the Stones, Neil Young and Chuck Berry to Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney and Placido Domingo. The first arena class female rocker who remained a powerful live performer in both English and Spanish until her retirement. She ain’t midlevel anything – she is the real deal. Never wanted to be a superstar “I wanted to be a singer, the star part in just something they made up in Hollywood in the thirties”. She crawled out of the celebrity swamp by choice. Duets is a warm, beautiful collection but genre be damned -it is that voice – big, clear, warm, sad and powerful and in this day of autotune even more remarkable. Boy the web is filled with such silly rumors. None the less. Viva Linda!
Elmer, I love Linda Ronstadt’s voice, too. It’s so said that the Parkinson’s has silenced her.
Rick, you’re right about the medical bills. Crushing.
I went out with one of her roommates from the Stone Pony days for awhile. Never met her though. Heart Like A Wheel was one of my favorite albums.
Stan, HEART LIKE A WHEEL is one of my favorite Linda Ronstadt albums, too.