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Post by angleseykev on Sept 5, 2015 3:34:21 GMT -5
We all know Linda is one of the great backing vocalists. Which of her performances do you rate among her best? I would offer Under African Skies with Paul Simon as one of her finest. I am also fond of her brief but perfect backing of Neil Young on Harvest Moon.
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Post by LindaRFan1 on Sept 5, 2015 7:30:29 GMT -5
"Excitable Boy" Warren Zevon, "I'm Different" Randy Newman, "You're Running Wild" Nicolette Larson, "Til I Gain Control Again" Emmylou Harris, "Unknown Legend" Neil Young, "If You Have Crying Eyes" JD Souther and "Connection" Arlo Guthrie. In each one of these you hear Linda so clearly and she brings something magical to each one.
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Post by 70smusicfan on Sept 5, 2015 7:53:33 GMT -5
I just bought a number of CDs with Linda guest appearances. I always thought that the best ones were when her distinctive voice stood out. BUT...she and Bette Midler sing like a single person, virtually indistinguishable from each other on Sisters on the album Rosemary Clooney Songbook and after a couple of listens I like it.
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Post by fabtastique on Sept 5, 2015 8:01:49 GMT -5
The Chesapeake song is lovely too, plus Can't Get Used To Losing You with Andrew Gold
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2015 8:04:04 GMT -5
I agree with her gorgeous backing vocals on Neil Young's Harvest Moon, and add her beautiful harmonies from 'Hangin on a Limb' from Neil's Freedom Album. Linda also adds some transcendent vocals on Philip Glass' Songs from Liquid Days album
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Post by fabtastique on Sept 5, 2015 11:14:59 GMT -5
songs from liquid days are great too - one of Linda's contributions in her most experimental and varied decade
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Post by eddiejinnj on Sept 5, 2015 11:21:35 GMT -5
Under African Skies, I kind of consider a duet. She sings so clearly and loudly and sings on both the chorus and verses. Based on the strictest definition of duet I found, which is "a musical composition for two performers in which both performers have equal importance to the piece"(Wikipedia). Other definitions are less exact/descript. I think that they both have equal importance to the piece especially since Simon wrote part of it about Linda. That said, my other favs include "Hanging on a Limb" that Rob said, (I agree it is gorgeous), the descant in Zevon's "Empty Handed Heart" is brilliant as well as "Excitable Boy", the last chorus in Young's "Heart of Gold." All the backing vocals on "Harvest Moon" are stunning. She plays such a key role in that album. "Come an Early Morning" and "Mexican Divorce" with Nicolette. I will think of more. Cool thread. Thanks for posting this!!!! eddiejinnj
PS: OK going add some Bartender's Blues ( I sing "well i'm just a bartender" a lot). Her part I love including "I need four walls around me to hold my life". "An American Dream" I thought it more than just backing vocals because of prominence but it probably does qualify. Sexy vocals in that one. "Old Man" on Young's Harvest album. "What Kind of Love" with Rodney Crowell " In My Hour Of Darkness" with Gram Parsons and Emmylou Will continue later
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Post by PoP80 on Sept 5, 2015 11:51:29 GMT -5
Great backup vocals with Karla Bonoff on "Tell Me Why" and of course the famous "Heart of Gold."
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Post by fabtastique on Sept 5, 2015 11:55:10 GMT -5
lots of her background vocal performances could be considered duets thanks to the power and clarity of her voice and also her performance - I'm thankful for that....
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Post by Tony on Sept 5, 2015 13:17:28 GMT -5
I like her contribution to An American Dream by the Dirt Band.
I like her country vocal on Hoyt Axton's When the Morning Comes. Linda only has one solo line in the song, but I don't think it would qualify as a duet. She isn't even credited on the 45-rpm label.
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Post by erik on Sept 5, 2015 18:48:15 GMT -5
Linda did another contribution for the Dirt Band, on their 1974 recording of Hank Williams' "Hey Good Lookin'".
I always found it very ironic (in a morbid sort of way) that Warren Zevon managed to shanghai both Linda and Jennifer Warnes into doing the backing vocals on "Excitable Boy", given the ultra-gory nature of the subject matter on hand.
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Post by lawrence on Sept 5, 2015 19:39:13 GMT -5
I've always liked her background vocals on James Taylor's BARTENDER"S BLUES.
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Post by RonstadtBacking on Sept 5, 2015 21:29:25 GMT -5
"Don't Go Please Stay" Aaron Neville.
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Post by fabtastique on Sept 6, 2015 1:45:54 GMT -5
Don't Go Please Stay .... lovely too - that is a great album produced by Linda I think, and her vocals are peppered all over it!
another great one is Postcards From Paris by Jimmy Webb, lovely Linda vocals and the album was produced by her too.
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Post by Goldie on Sept 6, 2015 3:02:31 GMT -5
My favorites are Odin, Rank Strangers, Voices on the Wind, Song of Bernadette, In My Hour of Darkness, Drifting Too Far From Shore, Look For the Light, Stay Away, One Morning In May, Old Man, Heart of Gold, Hangin' On A Limb, War of Man, Harvest Moon, Excitable Boy, Scarlet Ribbons, to name a few.
Ask us about favorite duets.
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Post by eddiejinnj on Sept 6, 2015 9:01:32 GMT -5
I been adding to my list above for those who would like to look. I always forget that Linda does backing vocals on second verse of "Lonely Boy" by Andrew Gold. I'll continue to add to my list as I think of them. Erik, I think knowing Linda that she did "Excitable Boy" for the girl doo wop thing. Just like the "Monster Mash". She does well with the perky, flirty kind of vocals. eddiejinnj
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Post by erik on Sept 6, 2015 11:50:17 GMT -5
Quote by Goldie re. prominent Linda backing vocal:
And that track was where she and Emmylou officially sealed the deal, so to speak, of being great friends and collaborators. Gram (Parsons) had asked Linda to come down and add her harmonies to his and Emmy's on that because he knew Linda had that intrinsic ability.
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Post by Goldie on Sept 6, 2015 13:39:07 GMT -5
Linda has a way of "making" a song when she sings duet or backup. I would almost bet she is a serotonin activator.
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Post by eddiejinnj on Sept 8, 2015 6:14:20 GMT -5
Was listening to "Harvest Moon" yesterday and Linda's vocals are stellar. She loves to use that upper register. Plus love when she sings "she rides a Harley Davidson". eddiejinnj
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Post by 70smusicfan on Sept 8, 2015 11:48:08 GMT -5
We've talked before about some guest performances that I haven't been able to find. One I remember that was mentioned before was the Spanish song with her niece(?) that appeared on Mexican Radio - anyone have a copy? Other performances were the Hudson Brothers that someone on the board shared with me, while another was the Joe Ely song that was recently made available as a download on iTunes. Any others?
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Post by erik on Sept 8, 2015 14:37:46 GMT -5
Quote by 70smusicfan:
I think this is the track "Y Andale" on Canciones De Mi Padre, which, I think (and someone correct me if I get this translation wrong) is Spanish for "Get It On."
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Post by eddiejinnj on Sept 8, 2015 17:05:31 GMT -5
was listening to that yesterday outside. sounded great. eddiejinnj
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Post by Belle on Sept 10, 2015 0:26:12 GMT -5
We all know Linda is one of the great backing vocalists. Which of her performances do you rate among her best? I enjoy most of her background--especially the work she did on Neil Young's Harvest Moon, with Nicolette Larson. Which brings me to my #1 favorite, with Nicolette Larson on this song:
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Post by erik on Sept 10, 2015 9:07:35 GMT -5
Yes, this one was the result of Linda's and Nicolette's (seemingly) endless vocal get-togethers when the two of them roomed in Malibu.
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Post by rumba on Sept 10, 2015 23:13:15 GMT -5
One of my faves is Heartache with Valerie Carter.
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Post by djay on Sept 11, 2015 12:58:39 GMT -5
Bartender Blues and Mike Auldrige's Bottom Dollar and, of course, Under African are incomparable, none of those vocals could be duplicated by any other singer and round out they fill out the recordings in such a way that they sound unfinished and decidedly weaker when performed without her. But I have to say An American Dream (a Rodney Crowell tune by the Dirt Band is one my favorites...she sounds joyful, he sounds humorous, together they're wonderful
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Post by musedeva on Sept 14, 2015 2:12:32 GMT -5
"Don't Go Please Stay" Aaron Neville. AHH!!! Thanks for the memories of that ANGEL Production...luvs it...bRINGS TO MIND their Ave Maria!!!! I'll have to call that my personal #1 followed by Harvest Moon...just something very spine tingling about them but I'm gonna go check the Neville collection first best all out "backing vocal" idea, instead of a strict duet is First Time ever I saw Your face but "Close Your Eyes" and "Song for Bernadette" are just gorgeous
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Post by eddiejinnj on Sept 14, 2015 6:42:11 GMT -5
First Time imo would be a duet also. She has solo lines in that one also. eddiejinnj
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Post by the Scribe on Apr 23, 2018 4:20:39 GMT -5
This is a nice thread to review since many of the original posters are still here today. I was wondering if you would all say if the favorites you listed here 6 years ago have changed or if you had added to your favorites?
For myself I find that of all the readily available duets on youtube the one I listen to the most is Lion In The Winter with Hoyt Axton. If sliderocker never heard it on the radio much that may be why it didn't do better in the charts. It was in heavy rotation in eastern Kentucky where I happened to be living at the time. I remember it coming on the radio during my college golf class evaluation as the instructor practically pulled me off my feet trying to get me into the correct stance posture. (I hated golf so much lol.) Hoyt and Linda's voice went together so well especially for their differences. You could tell he was in love with her. (and she knew it).
Lion In The Winter is the first song up on my youtube duets list. I did that so it would always be easy to find as the tops on my list:
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC72971015A4E14C7If you listen to it on youtube go to the comments section and read Teri Garrison's comments as she has an interesting story to tell as she sang Linda's part while on the road with Hoyt.
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Post by Christine on Apr 23, 2018 5:42:31 GMT -5
Does anyone know where I can find the Sam Bush concert? I am new to this forum and am amazed at all of the great info!! I would love to hear this concert (and any others anyone may have!!)
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