Interview with Linda Ronstadt - excellent podcast

[charlotte]

opensourcemusic.com/selvin-on-the-city-podcast-linda-ronstadt-interview-and-music/

Enjoy!

[eddiejinnj]

Thank you sooooo much Charlotte. great relaxed interview. she was cute and witty. love to hear her talk about music. I have passion for music and love that she does too. she we all know is very knowledgeable about the mechanics of music and really have not heard other artists discuss music like that though I do not hear/see as many non-Linda interviews, I still see quite a few. she really is very impressive with music history. great variety of music played too. again, thanks Charlotte; I had a great time listening to it. eddiejinnj

[Dianna]

Aug 28, 2014 17:01:28 GMT -5 eddiejinnj said:

and really have not heard other artists discuss music like that though I do not hear/see as many non-Linda interviews, I still see quite a few. she really is very impressive with music history.

Neither have I. I love our free music classes! She knows her stuff

[GLinNC]

Great coincidence! Earlier this evening, I thought, "I'm going to write a positive comment about the podcast post because it's one of the best Linda interviews I've heard, and the featured songs make it all the more enjoyable...I know more people will enjoy listening to this." By the time I got to the computer, there were already two good comments!  Give yourself the gift of listening to this--it's really good.

[eddiejinnj]

can you leave a comment without having some social network acct? eddiejinnj

[Richard W]

OK, that was great.

I like that he chose a few lesser known songs to spotlight, such as "Hummin' to Myself", "My Blue Tears" and "Cry Til My Tears Run Dry" (I'd forgotten how good that song is; for some reason, I never play it, a situation soon to be remedied!). And this is one of the few interviews that moves the music past her iconic albums into later recordings, touching as it does on "Hummin' to Myself" and "We Ran."

Plus, she finally gave an audio explanation of those 6/8, etc., rhythms she's frequently talked about, and now I (finally) know exactly what she means.

But won't someone please talk to her about "Frenesi"?

[erik]

Quote by Richard W:

And this is one of the few interviews that moves the music past her iconic albums into later recordings, touching as it does on "Hummin' to Myself" and "We Ran."

Plus, she finally gave an audio explanation of those 6/8, etc., rhythms she's frequently talked about, and now I (finally) know exactly what she means.

But won't someone please talk to her about "Frenesi"?

You do have to wonder if maybe the 1990s were the decade that everyone in the general public started forgetting about Linda. This isn't to say that I think everything she did in that decade is great, because I don't (I actually think there are places where she actually stumbled quite noticeably), but very little of what she did, especially (in my opinion) We Ran and Winter Light, has ever been really examined.

[Richard W]

Oh, for sure, Erik, she's not flawless or spotless in the '90s, but she made some teriffic music then, too, and so much of it is ignored. It's almost as if everything after "Cry Like a Rainstorm" is s lost album (if I'm getting my chronology right).

Those "lost" albums show everything Linda has always been about (pop, country, Spanish-language, standards, rock) and deserve some discussion. Heck, even her album-length collaboration with Emmylou, "Western Wall" barely gets a mention.

[Deleted]

I thought Western Wall was a modern classic the first time I heard it; great tour also..

[sliderocker]

Aug 29, 2014 9:31:33 GMT -5 erik said:

You do have to wonder if maybe the 1990s were the decade that everyone in the general public started forgetting about Linda. This isn't to say that I think everything she did in that decade is great, because I don't (I actually think there are places where she actually stumbled quite noticeably), but very little of what she did, especially (in my opinion) We Ran and Winter Light, has ever been really examined.

I don't fault the public so much as I fault the record company and radio for not doing a strong promotion on her albums. Without a few strong singles, radio airplay and record company promotion of the singles and the albums, the public can't buy what they may not know is out there. Also, the choices for Linda's singles around that time were probably not what the public was expecting to hear from Linda. "Heartbeats Accelerating" wasn't a bad song but maybe just not right for Linda. It was maybe a little too different. I loved "Blue Train" but I thought it was a little too slow for radio, and it didn't really sound like it had the potential to be a big hit. I thought there was another issue in play during the 90s: Linda's age - Top 40 radio really didn't like to play older artists. Linda's market by that point was probably the Adult Contgemporary stations although many stations played a lot of what was in the Top 40 and they also seemed to eschew the older artists. Linda was also considered part of the golden oldie market and the irony there is the oldie stations didn't play an oldie artist's new album or singles but just their old hits. I've always believed that was an untapped potential for the oldie stations: to not only play the original hits but also play something new from the artists who made up their play list. Some of the oldie stations would give away copies of an artist's new album as a way of "promoting" it but they wouldn't play any of the songs from those albums. Counterproductive, if you ask me.

[Goldie]

The career span of most rockers is short but those who did stay relevant benefitted by being born into a huge generation numbers-wise like the boomers. There was still somewhat of a market left for their music as opposed to previous generations whose flame flickered and died out. The very young seem to have the most spendable income and time so they will always be the primary target of business and corporations being what they are. By leaving Rock Linda wisely created her own audiences with the Songbook and the Spanish markets. She finally has been receiving long deserved accolades while still on Earth. Her impact on music has finally become clear to those unable or unwilling to admit it. Now if we could just get Linda to admit to it and accept it as well.

[erik]

Quote by Richard W:

Oh, for sure, Erik, she's not flawless or spotless in the '90s, but she made some teriffic music then, too, and so much of it is ignored. It's almost as if everything after "Cry Like a Rainstorm" is s lost album (if I'm getting my chronology right).

Those "lost" albums show everything Linda has always been about (pop, country, Spanish-language, standards, rock) and deserve some discussion. Heck, even her album-length collaboration with Emmylou, "Western Wall" barely gets a mention.

I for one have always had really good things to say about Winter Light and We Ran, which I would rank with the best of her classic 1970s work. I do feel that Feels Like Home is a somewhat problematic album (I'm sorry, but "High Sierra" and "Lover's Return" are among my least favorite of her vocals), and I just don't care for "We Will Rock You" being done as a lullaby (though I think Queen's 1977 original is way overplayed on classic rock radio, too) on Dedicated To The One I Love.

In terms of Western Wall, many critics, I suspect, think that it's much more of an Emmylou album than a Linda album, something that I think Emmy herself tried to disprove with convincing Linda to go on tour for that album. "He Was Mine", along with "Walk On", "A River For Him", and "Heartbreak Kind", is one of my personal favorite vocals of Linda's from the 1990s, primarily because she is in that rootsy country/folk/rock vibe where she is, I feel, at her best.


Quote by Goldie:

Her impact on music has finally become clear to those unable or unwilling to admit it. Now if we could just get Linda to admit to it and accept it as well.

That is where part of the problem lies, it seems to me. Not that she should brag at all (because I don't think she will, anyway), but just to modestly acknowledge that she had an effect on four successive generations of her like-minded female thespian peers.

[JasonKlose]

This was a wonderful interview. I enjoy listening to Linda.......could listen to her all day. She is so interesting, intelligent, and so knowledgeable about every facet of music. She really does know her stuff. I look forward to hearing more from her.

[lawrence]

Enjoyed that, thanks. I do wish she had gotten around to recording (or maybe she did?) WORLD I NEVER MADE. When I saw her in Delaware with David Bromberg they sang it together at the end of the show and it was memorable. I agree with Linda , that it was a really good fit for her voice. CRY 'TILL MY TEARS RUN DRY is one of my favorite tracks from We Ran.

[Richard W]

I'm glad and grateful that Linda is taking the time and making the effort to give these interviews. It's also gratifying to know that there are so many people, including the interviewers, who are still interested in her and her music and what she has to say.

[Goldie]

I think I saw a link to a partial clip of "World I Never Made" on this Forum.

[charlotte]

This was indeed a great listen - in many ways.  For those who incorrectly think Linda does not recognize her "rock and roll" cred - well just listen to her riff about jamming all night with Neil Young and Roy Orbison or Jagger and Waddy Wachtel.  How about long talks on the phone, across the country, regularly with Doc Pomus? Linda hasn't changed - she sounds at times like her young breathless self here but then you can hear her tire - her intense modesty and inability to brag about herself is as it ever was. I do not expect her to satisfy us by saying "I was a great singer".  Rather she demonstrates through her talent, wisdom and feeling for music instead of marketing and self aggrandizing just how truly rare and remarkable a talent she is.   We are her public champions along with writers, commentators,  historians, music lovers like Mr. Selvin and other assorted fans.  Linda's consistent lack of ego is hard wired, like the American desert in her DNA. She does not owe us further acknowledgement of her superior talents and it is not going to happen. This is who she is.   I find it fortunate she even states that fans have been "lovely".  
PS Thanks again to Erik, Eddie etc. for bringing the "lost" albums of the 90s- especially Winter's Light to my attention.  Along with early Sunday morning listens to Adieu False Heart it is my favorite later Linda recording.  Still waiting for a quality live release.

[erik]

Quote by charlotte:

For those who incorrectly think Linda does not recognize her "rock and roll" cred - well just listen to her riff about jamming all night with Neil Young and Roy Orbison or Jagger and Waddy Wachtel. How about long talks on the phone, across the country, regularly with Doc Pomus? Linda hasn't changed - she sounds at times like her young breathless self here but then you can hear her tire - her intense modesty and inability to brag about herself is as it ever was. I do not expect her to satisfy us by saying "I was a great singer". Rather she demonstrates through her talent, wisdom and feeling for music instead of marketing and self aggrandizing just how truly rare and remarkable a talent she is.

I think the situation is a bit more complex in terms of her connection with rock and roll; whether rightly or wrongly, some may perceive she is putting down her rock and roll recordings, and, by inference, the fans who got hooked on her because of them. Of course, nobody in their right mind would expect her to be a shameless self-promoter (unlike a couple of makeup-pancaked guys who were inducted with her into the RRHOF last April), but some of us wish she'd be a little bit more understanding of the "why" and "how" of her initial popularity.

[charlotte]

Certainly understand that wish - I was a teenager during her super star rock and roll arena days, sitting front row center.  Even then her need for fame and fans seemed unimportant - other than popularity allowed her more freedom to sing what she wanted.  While she certainly did what she had to and looked great doing it - she never had vanity or ego about her remarkable, one of a kind singing voice.  Forget about face painting self promoters and contemporary autotuned tweeters, I have never encountered another performer who is more publically modest about their talent  than Linda Ronstadt.  Bonnie Raitt, Emmy lou Harris,  Aretha Franklin, Trish Yearwood, lord knows Streisand, Garland, Dolly, Renee Fleming, Gospel stars, Country stars, Broadway, just read a recent interview with Pat Benatar (not a big fan), alternative rock and country acts, classic and contemporary jazz artists - you name it-they all display ego -some healthy, some flamboyant, some unwarranted and delusional but it is there. Linda is almost void of this particular characteristic.  As stated this is, for better or worse always been a part of her. So that wish is just not gonna come true.  Makes her even more fascinating if a bit frustratinf for some I guess.

[Dianna]

eddiej said something I've noticed it too. including the ones Charlotte mentioned in the above post. Aside maybe a music professor.. I've never heard any pop icon speak with so much musical knowledge than Linda .. I don't know why her interviews/comments aren't used more often in examples.. or she isn't quoted more often.. who really cares what Kanye West has to say..

[Goldie]

She ought to write a book about music, maybe even a textbook. She makes music interesting and easier to understand.

[rick]

Aug 29, 2014 9:20:33 GMT -5 Richard W said:

OK, that was great.

I like that he chose a few lesser known songs to spotlight, such as "Hummin' to Myself", "My Blue Tears" and "Cry Til My Tears Run Dry" (I'd forgotten how good that song is; for some reason, I never play it, a situation soon to be remedied!). And this is one of the few interviews that moves the music past her iconic albums into later recordings, touching as it does on "Hummin' to Myself" and "We Ran."

Plus, she finally gave an audio explanation of those 6/8, etc., rhythms she's frequently talked about, and now I (finally) know exactly what she means.

But won't someone please talk to her about "Frenesi"?

I just listened to this.
Like you, Richard, I was really pleased that he played tracks like "Hummin' to Myself," "Cry 'Till My Tears Run Dry" and "My Blue Tears."
I think it was a wonderful interview and loved hearing, for example, Linda discuss the beat of New Orleans' music (although I was concerned for her when she clearly became winded). She IS so knowledgeable.
Of course, I would love to hear all of the tracks originally recorded by Linda with Dolly and Emmy. I hope we'll get to hear them someday.
Again, I am very grateful for this interview. I think he unintentionally phrases things awkwardly. For example, he said how astonished he was that there was such an outpouring from the media, etc., when the news broke about Linda's diagnosis. Speaking as a fan, I was grateful and heartened that there was such an outpouring, but it did not surprise me. I have to realize that while we here on this Forum continued to share news of our Linda, it took the news of Linda's diagnosis to make people remember what a voice and talent Linda is and not just someone to make jokes about on "Just Shoot Me" or "SNL."
The interviewer also said something like "you're not really a rock 'n' roll singer," and I understand the spirit in which he probably meant it, but it kind of took me aback. I thought Linda's response to that, discussing her late-night talks with Doc Pomus, leading into the playing of the song "Cry 'Till My Tears Run Dry" was perfect.
I hope others will take the time to record interviews with Linda to discuss her career.
Charlotte, I appreciate your posting this. I've not directly addressed you on this Forum before but have been reading your posts. I assume by one of your posts here then that you were not attending Linda's concerts during the 1970s, etc., like myself? I agree with you that Linda is likely not going to appreciate her work the way we might like her to. I have to say that I thought she sounded more able to appreciate what she brought to the table than I've probably heard before.
That said, I don't understand why there was a need felt to go on a tear about Trisha Yearwood, Aretha Franklin, Judy Garland and, ahem, " lord knows Streisand," to quote you. It would take a few 400-page books to explain why Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand and Frank Sinatra had the right, "lord knows," to be proud of what they accomplished. Enough said.

[charlotte]

Yes I absolutely came of age with Linda in the mid 1970s. My first concert was Nassau Coliseum - Long Island mid 70s, saw every Radio City Music Hall Show (some of my favorites)and my last concert live was the Mexican shows in NYC. And I was a hard core fan moving to Greenwich Village living with a growing punk new wave scene and other interests like college but never giving up Linda - as stated - I saw Pirates 17 times in Central Park.  Lost touch with Linda in the 90s then reconnected with the release of Adieu False Heart.  When I retired early (lucky me) recently, I found this board around the time of her memoir release and here we be.  Her rock and roll years are my hearts favorites for sure. My point was that I don't wait for her acknowledgement of my preference. Especially since audiences for her are like "animals in the wild". I think she believes adoring an entertainter as much as we do her is ridiculous.(My husband thinks it is silly too and he had her poster on his bedroom wall when younger).       Meant no harm to the other singers sorry you read it that way - Trisha, Garland etc. - simply listed many female vocalists to make the point that no matter the style, era, talent - everybody's got a conceit - healthy or ortherwise about their singing voices - everyone except our Linda. It is very unusual and I have grown to accept and appreciate it.   Didn't she quote Humphrey Bogart "I owe the audience nothing but a good performance"    Didn't want you folks to be waiting for Godot.  Linda is not going to embrace us or the deep love that comes from strangers - that is who she is.        On a universal subject of agreement  - her musical knowledge and beautiful explanations of regionalism and beats are just wonderful to listen to, she has taught me so much.

[Dianna]

Sept 1, 2014 14:00:34 GMT -5 charlotte said:

her musical knowledge and beautiful explanations of regionalism and beats are just wonderful to listen to, she has taught me so much.

I loved what she says about copying. All singers do it. Her take on Aaron N. and Smokey R.. I would also add Johnny Mathis too.. and their beautiful tenor voices. is more french than a baptist belter.

[JasonKlose]

Aug 31, 2014 23:15:37 GMT -5 Goldie said:

She ought to write a book about music, maybe even a textbook. She makes music interesting and easier to understand.

I've been thinking the same thing. I'm a writer myself and have just begun to write a book. Linda would be great to consult with if I would ever have the chance to interview her.

[erik]

Quote by charlotte:

Didn't she quote Humphrey Bogart "I owe the audience nothing but a good performance"

That may be how she feels privately, but she probably also knows that it is not an attitude that she can show in public, or the audience will see right through and feel that she's only doing this for a paycheck (and truth be told, a lot of performers and "artistes" have that attitude). If she weren't as attentive with being able to give a transcendent performance onstage, as opposed to merely a good one, as she was with making records in the studio, then it wouldn't matter how great those records were. For better or worse, the stage is where your mettle as an artist of any kind is truly tested (IMHO).

[fabtastique]

really nice interview, she always comes off as very humble and knowledgeable. You really can hear the effect Parkinson's has had on her voice, even her speaking voice .... very sad

[charlotte]

Eric, I'm thinking we are on them same page here. Yes live is where one is truly tested and Linda in concert was often transcendent,  capable of going to deep emotional places that frankly blew my mind.  It could be a stadium or a small club (when she jumped on stage with George Jones at the Bottom Line to sing I Can't Help It ... I was there and almost passed out because of joy).  Her singing voice seemed to often come from deep within her - honest, authentic, pure and powerful. Unlike many performers she did not need to bounce off the audience, even though Linda had the audience in the palm of her hand.  Only the Mexican shows used the audience vibe differently.  I often felt she was satisfying herself emotionally which made it more intense.   No wonder Try Me Again is the holy grail of Linda Live - it might just be too intense to handle.     Everyone feels things differently - in the end her voice is so special I really would have listened to her sing the phone book.

[Dianna]

and it's funny she is sometimes adamant, like it's her own selfish need to sing up there.. maybe it is.. but I will say a lot of talk about stage presence and jumping up and down, fireworks, singing standing on your head. or wearing a stupid meat suit to get attention always puzzled me as to why people need to see that to connect to an artist..I'm still trying to understand it.

[erik]

Quote by Dianna:

I will say a lot of talk about stage presence and jumping up and down, fireworks, singing standing on your head. or wearing a stupid meat suit to get attention always puzzled me as to why people need to see that to connect to an artist..I'm still trying to understand it.

I don't want to sound like I'm generalizing (though I probably am, anyway), but I feel that a lot of these shocking acts and publicity stunts go back to what Madonna began encouraging, whether knowingly or unknowingly, back in the 1980s. Lady Gaga's "meat dress" is the height of this absurdity and obsession with shocking people, and it's also idiotic of her to even be doing it in the first place because it obscures and overshadows whatever merit her music may have. Unfortunately, almost everybody born after the advent of MTV seems to hunger for that kind of "entertainment", and this kind of leaves anyone just out to give a solid performance without the gimmicks, the shocks, the pyros, and the kiddie porn out in the cold.


Quote by charlotte:

Unlike many performers she did not need to bounce off the audience, even though Linda had the audience in the palm of her hand. Only the Mexican shows used the audience vibe differently. I often felt she was satisfying herself emotionally which made it more intense. No wonder Try Me Again is the holy grail of Linda Live - it might just be too intense to handle. Everyone feels things differently - in the end her voice is so special I really would have listened to her sing the phone book.

As I think we all know, Linda is not one to do any of the stage spectacle stuff, because it simply isn't who she is or ever has been. She was very naturally shy and timid, but I feel it is that very shyness that her fans and her peers in the business identified with because it was real; and then to be hit with the power and control, and the heart, of that four-octave voice of hers was something that, if you appreciated anything about the fine art of Voice among female singers in American popular music in the second half of the 20th century, you yearned for, you even hungered for (IMHO).