Linda Ronstadt was born in Brooklyn, New York, the second of four children of Leon Ronstadt and Marilyn Shelton. Her childhood was spent growing up in New York City, where her father worked as a carpenter. Although her family was poor, they were fortunate to be able to afford what is known as “bread and butter” – a weekly allowance that allowed them to have food on the table.
Growing up, Linda experienced a lot of hardships, including being Twice Removed from her parents home as a young girl due to her rebellious nature. She was also five years old when her mother died, leaving behind her two-year old brother, Leon, to be raised by her grandparents. In her words, her life was lonely, unhappy, and very “childish.” During this time, she began to focus on one thing in particular: singing.
As a result, she formed a band called Breakout, which would go on to play gigs around New York. When the band broke up, Linda moved on from her childhood musical career and pursued other interests, such as acting, writing, graphic design, and painting. Eventually, she decided to pursue the music business, and that’s when she discovered the world of pop. In the late seventies, she began working with producer Bob Seger, whom she had worked with during her Broadway days. He was able to help her get her music career going, and helped her find herself a contract with RCA Records.
Throughout the remainder of her career, Ronstadt went between musical roles, sometimes playing the same role, and at other times playing different characters, such as a vixen in a supergroup with fellow blonde-haired lady known as Wendy Lewis. Her versatility and talent for both singing and playing the guitar earned her numerous awards, including four Grammys and an Academy Award for Best Music Album. Her sound has since evolved, as she has played acoustic guitar and fiddle in jazz and blues groups, and she has also recorded with such diverse artists as Frank Sinatra, Ray Vaughan, Jack Bruce, and John Paul Jones. Her own solo career has also led her to perform with artists like Carlos Santana, Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lenny Kravitz, and Paul McCartney and John Lennon.
If you’re looking for a great female vocalist who sings with heart like no other, then Linda Ronstadt is definitely an option for you! She has consistently proven that she is able to put out brilliant music and continues to tour to this day. Her solo career has also been punctuated with several duets with fellow female musicians, most notably Amy Winehouse. Ronstadt even wrote a duet album with Themetta Copay in 2021. Her extensive list of credits also includes being a member of the Backstreet Boys, Spice Girl, Hello Kitty, and countless others.
Her most recent release is her latest album entitled “Songs for Christmas”, which will be available on July 25th. This album is comprised of holiday songs from all different genres, which are sure to appeal to everyone. Ronstadt also has a collection of duets that were recorded with her former band members, which are available as singles. This is the perfect set for those people who love holiday music, but are tired of hearing the same old holiday songs year after year. In fact, many people who have yet to hear her music are sure to fall in love with her soon.
