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Post by Guest on Apr 23, 2017 11:10:15 GMT -5
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Post by the Scribe on Apr 23, 2017 23:43:52 GMT -5
Very nice. Thank you for posting that! Love that drawing and the storylike nature of the piece. Paints a nice picture.
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Post by the Scribe on Apr 24, 2017 0:56:54 GMT -5
I don't know if anyone else has tried this but in the hopes of coming up with new material and information about Linda I will google her name with another odd adjective, sometimes a verb. This time I googled LINDA RONSTADT'S BUTCHER (but not in caps). You all should try it some time. You can share what you found.
This is one of the things that came up:Linda Ronstadt - Prisoner in Disguise
Saturday Song Selection: Special Edition"Blessed with arguably the most sterling set of pipes of her generation ... rarest of rarities—a chameleon who can blend into any background yet remain boldly distinctive ... It's an exceptional gift; one shared by few others." – Christopher Louden, Jazz Times
“The thing you have to be prepared for is that other people don't always dream your dream.” – Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt - Stone Poney, solo artist, cross-over artist, pioneer standards standard-bearer, Broadway, Hollywood and operetta performer, teenage lust object.
In a previous Saturday Song Selection featuring Linda Ronstadt and the song, “You’re No Good,” we wondered about the relative invisibility of Ronstadt in recent years. There was a sustained period of time, not all that long ago, when there was no more popular or successful international recording artist as she, with broad appeal across generations and musical genres. She has recently explained the reason for her absence from the public eye, in this era of TMZ, Facebook, blogs, Twitter and even the NSA, when no one, no matter how renowned or obscure, is afforded any true measure of privacy or anonymity (We are all Number 6 – “I am not a number, I’m a free man!”)
In an interview in the current issue of “AARP Magazine: The World’s Most Depressing Periodical” whose editorial philosophy is “50 is the new 100, so give up – enjoy the free hemlock with every paid subscription,” 67 year old songstress, Linda Ronstadt, discusses her on-going battle with Parkinson’s Disease, and the heartbreaking, resulting loss of her once pristine and powerful voice.
Ronstadt, as senior citizen, seems almost unimaginable, as for many of us baby-boomers, she remains an indelible icon of our youthful bygone days of high school and college. (As her carefully placed, Spencer Gifts purchased poster, Scotch-taped just so, on my teenage bedroom wall would attest to.) For any readers who may be Tea Party affiliated, or are potential GOP Presidential Candidates, colleges are institutes of higher learning, or as you refer to these establishments of academia, “Elitist Communist Indoctrination Camps.”
To nycityman and his uninteresting memories of meandering musical tastes (Linda fell in after British Invasion and Protest Music and before New Wave and Zydeco) and fluctuating infantile infatuations (she was after Barbara Eden and Jill St. John and before Grace Slick and Annie Golden of the Shirts – I got a bit untraditional for a while) she seems in some ways stuck in time and of a particular musical age, and although owner of 8 of her uber-successful 33 1/3 LPs, from “Don’t Cry Now” to “Mad Love,” my collection never made the technical transition from platter to CD, and needless to say, MP3 downloads remain unexplored assets, as well. And although there is a certain satisfaction in the warm and imperfect sound of needle on vinyl, it’s far beyond the time to rectify this aural oversight.
Linda Ronstadt was the first of the rock-era warblers to make the now common cross-over to exploring and recording classics from the Great American songbook, paving the way for Carly Simon, Cyndy Lauper, Paul McCartney and Rod Stewart, and many lesser talents like Bobby Darin wannabe – Canadian, karaoke-level, crooner Michael Buble. She did so with great success and class, as she teamed with the eminent arranger of such music, frequent Sinatra collaborator, the incomparable, Nelson Riddle. There was a time when a friend and I could listen to Frank Sinatra tracks and easily distinguish the individual arranger for each song - be it Riddle, Billy May, Gordon Jenkins or Don Costa – such was the uniqueness and level of distinct talent of Old Blue Eye’s partners; and such was the degree to which we clearly needed to get a life.
Prisoner in Disguise
“You think the love you never had might save you
But true love takes a little time
You can touch it with your fingers
And try to believe your eyes
Is it love or lies?” - J.D. Souther
These were sad and discouraging days for we closeted-Caruso’s, as Karaoke clubs had not yet reached Western shores, and we had but shower stalls as our sole outlets in which to exercise our earnest, but humble, musical chops. “Prisoner in Disguise” was one of nycityteen’s preferred melodies in which to stretch his extremely limited instrument. Standing very close to the stereo, equidistant between left and right JBL’s, I would find a place to blend my inimitable and non-too pleasant bleating, with the far more mellifluous intonations of Ms. Ronstadt and, back-up singer and songwriter, J.D. Souther; out would emerge all the emotion and soul that this middle-class, Italian-American, spoiled, suburban white boy could muster. And speaking of soul, I retain the same Ma Bell 7 digit number that I’ve had for decades, as I still also retain the hope of the soon to be received phone call that will request my participation as the first Caucasian replacement Temptation in history.
Linda Ronstadt and J.D. Souther
Composer, J.D. Souther’s contribution to the quality and excellence of “Prisoner in Disguise” should not be underestimated. Souther’s compositions were covered by a wide-range of recording artists, and after release of a solo album; he followed the proven mathematical formula to super-group success by teaming up with one Byrd (Chris Hillman) and one Buffalo Springfield member (Richie Furay) to form the Souther, Hillman, Furay Band. While not reaching the heights of originator and model of this folk-rock equation, Crosby, Stills and Nash, they did produce some fine work, and all enjoyed lengthy and prolific careers, moving on to be part of Poco, the Flying Burrito Brothers and Manassas, among other bands. Nycityman’s ideal super-group - The Who have lost their drummer and bass player; all that survives of the Beatles, are their drummer and bass player, thus would be born – the Who-tles! (Okay, maybe that moniker’s a tad too “Seussian,” sounding, we can revisit it later.)
Linda Marie Ronstadt by the Numbers
As was mentioned earlier, Linda Ronstadt began her recording career as a member of the Los Angeles-based, folk-rock trio, The Stone Poneys (the misspelling was intentional) with Bobby Kimmel and Kenny Edwards. While not the original intent - Ronstadt initially shared lead-singing duties with Kenny Edwards - Lovely Linda soon became the vocal focal point of the group, culminating in a major hit with the Michael Nesmith penned “Different Drum.” By their third album, in the great egomaniacal tradition of “Diana Ross and...” and “Frankie Valli and...” any pretense of equality had been vanquished and the band became known as “Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Poneys”… and then they broke up. However, no hard feelings must be assumed for Kenny Edwards remained an integral member of Linda’s solo career musical family, singing and playing on her best-selling albums for 10 years after the group’s demise.
It would be extremely hard to repudiate (again, for Tea Partier’s, feel free to substitute the Palin malapropism “refudiate”) Linda’s decision to troll the waters of solo stardom. She was a giant - a superstar whose domination of, not only, the music charts, but also, the magazine covers, would today send the Kardashians, each in turn, screaming back to their wealthy and highly-irresponsible plastic surgeon in frantic desperation to be put up on the rack again, for a lube job and some rhino-recalibration – earning 11 Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, an ALMA Award (for we unenlightened Gringos that’s stands for American Latino Media Arts) and numerous United States and internationally certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums. She also received nominations for a Tony Award and a Golden Globe award – not quite an EGOT, but close.
For insomniacs, late night television aficionados and illicit drug abusers – But Wait… There’s More!
Ronstadt appears on over 120 albums, including her own 30 studio releases of new material, and her 15 compilations or greatest hits albums. She charted 38 Billboard Hot 100 singles, with 21 reaching the top 40, 10 in the top 10, three at #2 and "You're No Good" at #1. Thirty six of her LPs reached the Billboard Pop Album Charts, with 10 achieving top-10 status and three attaining the coveted number 1 spot.
Tragically, we may never hear Linda Ronstadt’s beautiful and exceptionally lyrical singing again, but she’s given the world a rich body of work that will remain undiminished for the perpetuity of musical appreciation. And although her performing days may be behind her, her voice has not been silenced. Linda recently authored a memoir, “Simple Dreams,” which will reach iPods and Kindles, and the unfortunately few remaining booksellers, on September 17th. To those aware of nycityman's true identity, and who also participate in Christmas gift exchanging, please take note.
Now sit very close to your computers, equidistant between left and right speakers (or with Dr. Dre’s firmly on ears) and find a place to blend your, no doubt, magnificent and mellow tones with Ronstadt and Souther, and enjoy “Prisoner in Disguise.”
Any comments, questions, criticisms, compliments, candid confessions, cash contributions? Contact me at butchersaprons@mail.com.
Posted by nycityman at 7:29 PM
nycityman.blogspot.com/2013/08/linda-ronstadt-prisoner-in-disguise.html
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Post by Richard W on Apr 24, 2017 14:18:28 GMT -5
Great appreciation by Powers. It's satisfying when someone writes an article confirming things we've been saying here for years.
We aren't crazy.
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Post by erik on Apr 24, 2017 18:12:51 GMT -5
Quote by Richard W:
Satisfying, yes, but also frustrating. Linda has only been in the public spotlight for fifty years, and is actually admired by female artists of several generations and many different styles of music, notably rock, C&W, and Americana, but the mainstream music press, up until her 2013 Parkinson's announcement, had hardly talked about her for many years (save for what happened in Las Vegas in 2004). This isn't to say that I don't welcome the attention she is getting as of late, but I feel like she should have gotten a touch more when she still could sing and enthrall fans and peers like.
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Post by sliderocker on Apr 26, 2017 15:45:27 GMT -5
Satisfying, yes, but also frustrating. Linda has only been in the public spotlight for fifty years, and is actually admired by female artists of several generations and many different styles of music, notably rock, C&W, and Americana, but the mainstream music press, up until her 2013 Parkinson's announcement, had hardly talked about her for many years (save for what happened in Las Vegas in 2004). This isn't to say that I don't welcome the attention she is getting as of late, but I feel like she should have gotten a touch more when she still could sing and enthrall fans and peers like.[/quote] What happened with Linda, is that I feel she became like Sinatra, had no love for the press. She didn't want to be in the spotlight, didn't want the press and paparazzi following her around and reporting on everything she said and did. And unfortunately, the entertainment news media has an attitude that they helped create your stardom, which is true to some degree. Linda became a successful singer with some help from the media. She was being written about quite a bit by the news media before she made it and the push they gave her helped, although it also took coming up with the right recording for the public to see what the media was seeing. But, I think the news media had the wrong idea: "We help make you and we get access to you every minute the rest of the time you are famous." I think Linda went along for a while but I think she realized she couldn't have a life or some semblance of a life with all the news media hanging around. But, I don't think the news media took the hint to get lost and I think tensions between Linda and the news media escalated. The news media does tend to get into a celebrity's face and does get too close a lot of the time. Recall this past December when Carrie Fisher died, the news media was hanging around her brother Todd's apartment or house, where their mother Debbie Reynolds was also staying, planning Carrie's funeral. The stress of that situation likely contributed to Debbie's fatal stroke and she might have survived if the news media had backed off. But, the news media was brutal and they believed they had a right to be there. |
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Post by erik on Apr 26, 2017 17:04:29 GMT -5
Insofar as the media did indeed invade a lot of her privacy, while somewhat hypocritically making such a big spiel about how they alone made her a star, I can see why she would feel that way towards them, and why she became something of a semi-recluse. But I am inclined to believe that her frustration with the press is much more about how much they make of the celebrity itself, and how insultingly little they have focused in on the natural ability that made that "celebrity" possible, and the validity. If indeed that's why she sometimes feels the way she does about the media, then I don't see how anyone can blame her. The media's attention now, seven and a half years after she was last seen singing in concert, and after telling folks that she had had Parkinson's disease and had her voice destroyed, sometimes comes off to me as a bit cynical.
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Post by musedeva on Apr 27, 2017 0:08:21 GMT -5
love that article...Spot On for moi!!!
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Post by PoP80 on Apr 27, 2017 17:08:26 GMT -5
Ann Powers presents an insightful point of view and captures the essence of Linda's uniqueness as a woman and an artist. The illustrator is Brazilian and a graduate of Parsons School of Design in NY.
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Post by Guest PA on Apr 29, 2017 10:01:59 GMT -5
Really appreciate these. Ann Powers used for the NYTimes.
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Post by RonstadtFanFive on Apr 29, 2017 13:46:35 GMT -5
Linda's publicly stated views on the media, much like her stated views on religion, are complex and can sometimes seem conflicting even when they're really not. I believe she holds the press in very high regard and has said that she admires reporters. In fact she dated journalist Pete Hamill (him being one of the boyfriends she actually confirms in the Simple Dreams book as "keeping company with") and she counts journalists as her very close friends. She often states that she was misquoted in long form interviews done in the 70s and early 80s before she really started clamming up. I really don't think she was misquoted very often. Misunderstood, possibly. You really can't blame her for backtracking on her stories and views about drug use and sex that were accepted in the 70s but changed and became outdated and more conservative in following decades. It also coincided with her becoming mom to young children. Who wouldn't want to alter the record under those circumstances? When she decided that she wanted to shore up her privacy, that made perfect sense. And I'm glad she did it. Then when the kids were all grown up Linda started to give more candid interviews again. That's not a coincidence. She does not take a dim view of the press as an institution. She does think some members of the press are irresponsible, and they are. But for the most part she understands how vital a Free Press is to a democracy. It seems to me she is spilling some of her secrets from her fascinating life more and more lately. Some deeply personal information that she might have once considered private she is now divulging in public with cameras rolling. Including having an affair with Lowell George, making out with Marvin Gaye at the Motown 25 special and more. She does not appear to despair over much and her big regrets appear to be few.
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Post by muse on Apr 29, 2017 22:21:20 GMT -5
"/........regrets appear to be few....."
OMG!!! I luv that....
...sounds like an excerpt from a Riddle/Sinatra ditty...
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Post by sliderocker on Apr 30, 2017 14:44:18 GMT -5
Insofar as the media did indeed invade a lot of her privacy, while somewhat hypocritically making such a big spiel about how they alone made her a star, I can see why she would feel that way towards them, and why she became something of a semi-recluse. But I am inclined to believe that her frustration with the press is much more about how much they make of the celebrity itself, and how insultingly little they have focused in on the natural ability that made that "celebrity" possible, and the validity. If indeed that's why she sometimes feels the way she does about the media, then I don't see how anyone can blame her. The media's attention now, seven and a half years after she was last seen singing in concert, and after telling folks that she had had Parkinson's disease and had her voice destroyed, sometimes comes off to me as a bit cynical. All of that is unequivocally true, and I'd also add intruding into her personal life was something that should've been off limits. I just wonder how many of her relationships that failed did so because of the fact so many of her relationships were with other celebrities, and some of them may not have had a problem talking about their relationships? How many might have thought a mention of dating Linda was a good stepping stone for their career? I couldn't see name dropping Linda as having much of an advantage to their career. Not unless they were a singer as well and in need of a recording contract. And although Linda didn't really do movies, she was considered for some movie roles, such as the role of Sandy in "Grease." Linda, I think, would've been as equally stunning in Olivia Newton-John's leather clothing as what Olivia was, if not hotter. As for the news media's recent attention, it comes off to me as a bit cynical at times, but then I also have to remember that up until her Parkinson's announcement, she had been off the celebrity radar and hadn't been seen in a while. And where there is nothing to talk about or bring up, it's harder for those in the news media to justify a "whatever happened to" story on a celebrity or a former celebrity. Part of the fault does belong with the public, especially the many who are fair weather fans. I watched an old "60 Minutes" story on Governor Jerry Brown and the reporter who interviewed Governor Brown mentioned he had hoped to talk to Linda as well but she had made herself scarce during the interview. I think some in the TV news media would've covered Linda if they had been allowed to, but Linda wasn't one for calling attention to herself. |
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Post by the Scribe on Apr 30, 2017 16:01:10 GMT -5
Fame and fortune go together in the entertainment world. Linda has said she only wanted to sing. If that were her only purpose she could have joined a choir or joined Up With People or some other group. But she sought out fame and fortune and with it comes all the baggage of celebrity. It seems glamorous and attention getting at first but gets old once something you said or some photographer becomes a nuisance. The nice thing about growing old is we are not as obsessed with our looks and have a certain freedom in what we say that we didn't have when younger. Or we just don't care and speak our minds lol. I think Linda is at that point or very close. By not caring I don't mean hurtful towards others (unless politicians who deserve it). Linda's rants in her old age are valuable and quite on point. She is well read and always knows what she is talking about. She should hook up with a writer who could help her funnel her ideas into something constructive whether music, politics, civil rights, history, immigration, etc. She has a lot to say and a helper would get things organized for her. I had always thought she would write a music history book of some sort to include the proper way to use ones voice in singing, breathing, etc. It would be a terrible waste if all that knowledge was lost when she passed on.
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