First appearance in London anticipated then reviewed

[Partridge]

clipping from The Guardian, Friday, November 12, 1976

[the Scribe]

Maybe its just me but does every singer in the world write their own music except Linda? And have you ever read a similar first line describing anyone else? I mean back in those days Bonnie Raitt didn't write her own music. Karen Carpenter didn't. Petula Clark? Dusty Springfield? Tina Turner maybe a couple of non hits? Frank Sinatra? Cher? Diana Ross? Whitney Houston? Elvis? And of those that did many did not write their biggest hits or any of their hits. So why is it usually only Linda that gets pigeonholed?

[70smusicfan]

Was this REALLY her first U.K. appearance?   What about those photos of Linda in London in the early 1970s?  Can't believe she was in London and didn't perform.

[Richard W]

Maybe it's because of the singer/songwriter milieu she was surrounded by, it was expected that she write as well as sing. As I've said before, the two are different arts, like singing and dancing -- only a very few can do both well, while most should stick to their one natural gift.

I get tired of this line, too. As if not innately being a writer somehow invalidates her voice.

That being the case, all we would have of her transportive singing would be a 5-song EP.

[MokyWI]

I thought I read that the trip to England in the early 1970 was a trip she took with her mother.

[erik]

Quote by Richard W:

Maybe it's because of the singer/songwriter milieu she was surrounded by, it was expected that she write as well as sing. As I've said before, the two are different arts, like singing and dancing -- only a very few can do both well, while most should stick to their one natural gift.

I get tired of this line, too. As if not innately being a writer somehow invalidates her voice.

That being the case, all we would have of her transportive singing would be a 5-song EP.

To be fair, on the basis of "Try Me Again", "Lo Siento Mi Vida", and "Winter Light", I always thought that if she had more confidence in her own gifts and her abilities she could write more of her own material, because she had the heart and the intelligence to pull it off.

But I wholeheartedly agree that the critics put way too much emphasis on the fact that Linda didn't write in a half-assed attempt to invalidate or flatten her impact on others. It was a ridiculous standard to place on her; and practically everyone in her circle of friends who did write their own material and got it covered by Linda herself would agree (IMHO).

Re. the pictures of Linda in London: I believe that those two pics of her were from her visit there in January 1971. Given the way she's dressed in those pictures, and given that winter in London isn't exactly as "balmy", to put it mildly, as in Los Angeles, you just have to wonder how Linda didn't turn into a block of ice.

[Partridge]

concert review from
The Guardian, Saturday, November 13, 1976

[the Scribe]

"LOOSE AGAIN" HAHAHA.

Lyric rewrite? "cause I'd love you, but I'm loose....again.....

[Deleted]

Nov 18, 2019 5:52:57 GMT -5 the Scribe said:

Maybe its just me but does every singer in the world write their own music except Linda? And have you ever read a similar first line describing anyone else? I mean back in those days Bonnie Raitt didn't write her own music. Karen Carpenter didn't. Petula Clark? Dusty Springfield? Tina Turner maybe a couple of non hits? Frank Sinatra? Cher? Diana Ross? Whitney Houston? Elvis? And of those that did many did not write their biggest hits or any of their hits. So why is it usually only Linda that gets pigeonholed?

Your point is well taken, but I'll give the reviewer a pass based on the glowing assessment contained in the second paragraph...

[Partridge]

I had not thought of looking at British newspapers for Ronstadt articles. I was watching the latest episodes of The Crown on Netflix, and as I often do, I decided to do some research on a character-- in this case, Princess Alice, who I don't recall ever hearing of before. So Alice led me to the Ronstadt articles.

[Partridge]

Nov 18, 2019 5:52:57 GMT -5 the Scribe said:

Karen Carpenter Petula Clark? Dusty Springfield? Tina Turner maybe a couple of non hits? Frank Sinatra? Cher? Diana Ross? Whitney Houston? Elvis? And of those that did many did not write their biggest hits or any of their hits. So why is it usually only Linda that gets pigeonholed?

You forgot Celine Dion.