October 30th – You know how it is; you’re going
through your record collection, just
browsing really, saying hello to old
friends and running by the memories they bring back (really sorry about this,
now you have an idea of just how a sad and of how much an old git I am) when
summat catches your eye, on the list of backing vocalists used on the album or
the guest saxophonist maybe, and you think;
Hmm. I recognise the
name...didn't she do Mad Dogs and Englishmen...? Nope, not sure, but am sure I know little to bugger-all about her…wonder what else she's
done?
So you start to do a little research and, of a sudden open a
Pandora’s Box of talent and ability you never dreamt of finding. I know that
you’ll all be so much further down this particular road than me, you guys
usually are but, well, to my shame this was me a few years ago when I came into
contact with Linda Ronstadt.
The first inkling came as I perused the information on my
Paul Simon album, Gracelands. In
amongst the list of support for that album was the name (Ms. Ronstadt) against
the B.V. for the track Under African
Skies. Have you heard that track recently? Her harmonies are nothing short
of sublime and, over the years I’ve played that album, that particular track
has been a standout for me and never once had I given it a thought as to who it
was that was making the track such a haunting, spacious piece of work, I just
figured it was one of the other band members’. It’s not. That’s her, and that’s
what started me on the quest…bugger me, was I in for a surprise!
How can I possibly have missed out on a performer who’s made
11 Grammy Awards (that’s eleven) two Academy of Country Awards, an Emmy, an ALMA Award, a Tony and a Golden Globe Award nomination and
had national and international gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, worked
with Philip Glass, James Taylor, Frank Zappa, Neil Young, Emmylou Harris,
performed in a G&S work (Pirates of Penzance) gigged with The Muppets
appeared in a dozen or more films and, AND performed in Puccini’s La Boheme at the New York Opera on this
day in 1984…now, how is that possible?
So, I started to listen to some of her solo stuff. Now, I
have to say, at the outset, I’m not a fan of much of her output (I’m just not a
C&W kinda guy) but there’s no getting away from the fact that, as you listen
to her back catalogue, it quickly becomes obvious that one is in the presence
of someone of real vocal stature and ability, and when that’s added to by her
songwriting abilities, well, hat’s off really.
What turned it round for me and also made me a
sleeping-follower of Ms. Ronstadt is her political stance and her fearless statements
when she sees an arse doing something so wrong that it can’t be countenanced: In
2006, Ms. Ronstadt told the Calgary Sun that she was;
….embarrassed George
Bush is from the United States Iraq
Don’t
sugar-coat it, Linda, tell it like it is.
That
kind of outspoken stuff has gotten her into hot water with the rich and
powerful and, I’d guess, has affected her career (they’re like that, these
arrogant tossers, they bear a grudge…for fuckin’ years) but she also followed
up that one by saying of the Los Angeles psyche as she left the city where all
her recording work was being done and moved to Tucson;
I couldn’t breathe the air,
and I didn’t want to drive on the freeways to get to the studio. I also didn’t
want to embrace the values that have been so completely embraced by that city.
Are you glamorous? Are you rich? Are you important? Do you have clout? It’s just
not me, and it never was me.
Not only biting the hand but shredding it and chucking it on the
fire too. The tragedy of all this is that Ms. Ronstadt has now been diagnosed
with Parkinson’s Disease which has robbed her of her ability to sing…is that
cruel or what? Yes, she has made a dubious move or two (and of course we never
have, have we?) but my goodness, I’ll take her warts and all in preference to
any number of modern-day rock divas; can’t hold a candle to her for talent and
output…and political conscience.
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