Linda Ronstadt

BORN: July 15, 1946, Tucson, AZ
While Linda was a student at Arizona State University, she met guitarist Bob Kimmel. The duo moved to Los Angeles, where guitarist/songwriter Kenny Edwards joined the pair. Calling themselves the Stone Poneys, the group became a leading attraction on California's folk circuit, recording their first album in 1967. The band's second album, Evergreen, Vol. 2, featured the Top 20 hit "Different Drum," which was written by Michael Nesmith.

After recording one more album with the group, Linda left for a solo career at the end of 1968.

Linda's first two solo albums — Hand Sown Home Grown (1969) and Silk Purse (1970) — accentuated her country roots, featuring several honky tonk numbers. Her third album, 'Linda Ronstadt', released in 1971, was a landmark in her career. Featuring a group of session musicians that would later form the Eagles, the album was a softer, more laid back variation of the country-rock she had been recording. With the inclusion of songs from singer/songwriters like Jackson Browne, Neil Young, and Eric Anderson, Linda Ronstadt had folk-rock connections as well.

'Don't Cry Now', released in 1973, followed the same formula to greater success, but it was 1974's Heart Like a Wheel that perfected the sound, and made Linda a star. Featuring the hit covers "You're No Good", "When Will I Be Loved", and "It Doesn't Matter Anymore", Heart Like a Wheel reached number one and sold over two million copies.

Released in the fall of 1975, Prisoner in Disguise followed the same pattern as Heart Like a Wheel and was nearly as successful. Hasten Down the Wind, released in 1976, was also successful and charted even higher than Prisoner in Disguise. Simple Dreams released in 1977, added a more rock-oriented supporting band, which brought life to "Tumbling Dice" (originally by the Rolling Stones), and Warren Zevon's "Poor Poor Pitiful Me". The record became the singer's biggest hit, staying on the top of the charts for five weeks and selling over three million copies.

' Living in the U.S.A.', produced in 1978, marked the beginning of a new style for Linda who began experimenting with new wave, she recorded Elvis Costello's "Alison" and produced another number one album hit. In 1980's Mad Love, she made a full-fledged new wave record, recording three Costello songs and adopting a synth-laden sound. Although the album was a commercial success, it did not have the same appeal as her earlier albums and 1982's Get Closer, was her first album since Heart Like a Wheel to fail to go platinum. Sensing it was time to change direction, Linda starred in the Broadway production of Gilbert & Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance, as well as the accompanying movie.

Pirates of Penzance led the singer to a collaboration with Nelson Riddle, who arranged and conducted her 1983 collection of pop standards, What's New. Though not as popular with the music critics, it was a considerable hit, reaching number three on the charts and selling over two million copies. Linda's next two albums - Lush Life (1984) and For Sentimental Reasons (1986) were also albums of pre-rock standards recorded with Riddle.

At the end of 1986, Linda returned to contemporary pop, recording "Somewhere Out There," the theme to the animated 'An American Tail', with James Ingram; the single became a number two hit. She also returned to her country roots in 1987, recording the Trio album with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris. That same year, Linda recorded Canciones de mi Padre, a set of traditional Mexican songs that became a surprise hit. Two years later, she recorded Cry Like a Rainstorm and Howl Like the Wind - her first contemporary pop album since 1982's Get Closer. Featuring four duets with Aaron Neville, including the number two hit "Don't Know Much," the album again sold over two million copies.

Linda returned to traditional Mexican and Spanish material with Mas Canciones (1991) and Frenesi (1992). She returned to pop with 1994's Winter Light, but this time failed to generate a hit single. Neither did 1995's Feels Like Home. In 1996, she released the children's album Dedicated to the One I Love; We Ran followed in 1998 .

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Gary Wright - The Dream Weaver
Greatest Hits
  1. You're No Good
  2. Silver Threads And Golden Needles
  3. Desperado
  4. Love Is A Rose
  5. That'll Be The Day
  6. Long, Long Time
  7. Different Drum
  8. When Will I Be Loved
  9. Love Has No Pride
  10. Heat Wave
  11. It Doesn't Matter Anymore
  12. Tracks Of My Tears
  1. It's So Easy
  2. I Can't Let Go
  3. Hurt So Bad
  4. Blue Bayou
  5. How Do I Make You
  6. Back In The U.S.A
  7. Ooh Baby Baby
  8. Poor Poor Pitiful Me
  9. Tumbling Dice
  10. Just One Look
  11. Someone To Lay Down Beside Me

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