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!
