Friday, March 29, 2024

Linda Ronstadt Sings No More: Won’t Warble on Book Publicity Tour

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Linda Ronstadt is not singing anymore. When she hits the publicity circuit this September for her book, “Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir,” Ronstadt will not need a band for Letterman, Fallon, or any other show. I am told that she has retired, in that sense. There’ll be no “You’re No Good” or “Heat Wave” or “Blue Bayou.”

It’s not that she can’t sing; she can. But she doesn’t sing every day, has no interest in revving up her engines, and doesn’t feel she can meet expectations of fans. A friend says, “She’s 67, and she’s doing other things.”

The book, by the way, is not a kiss and tell, but a look back at all her work with the Eagles and Jackson Browne and JD Souther, all the songwriters she introduced, and the many musical adventures she had with scores of people she helped make famous. And Linda wrote the book herself– no ghost writer. I can’t wait to read it.

But this no singing business is frustrating for her fans. New generations need to be exposed to Ronstadt, one of the most remarkable pop voices of all time. Linda, change your mind! We need you now more than ever!

By the way, there’s newly remastered version of her great album, “Heart Like a Wheel,” produced by Peter Asher, on Amazon.com and Spotify. I just bought it, and it’s still a classic. Cissy Houston sings background on the James Carr hit, “Dark End of the Street,” too!

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.
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