Linda Ronstadt on "The Mike Douglas Show" 1969

[ausfan2]

Silver Threads & Golden Needles + Break My Mind

[erik]

For someone who was never overly fond of the TV medium, Linda really did get herself out there, as she clearly did here on the Mike Douglas Show (this one from, I believe, December 17, 1969). The fact that she was also performing contemporary C&W songs with a decidedly left-of-center edge also speaks of her musical tenacity, at a time when a lot of people of her generation still saw country music as reactionary, racist, and redneck.

[the Scribe]

Excellent!!! I have been waiting anxiously for this Mike Douglas episode to be released. I haven't seen it since it originally aired and I was just a kid at the time but had declared Linda my favorite person. (I did have a big crush on Joey Heatherton too but that's another story.) I had to fight my brothers and sisters over the television and I remember racing home from school to try to be first so I could watch her. (6 kids in my family) Eventually I got smart, saved my pennies and bought my own B&W tv so I wouldn't have to miss her again ever.

Linda was on tv lots:

www.tv.com/people/linda-ronstadt/credits/

An interesting note was that Ozzie Nelson (Ricky's dad and Harriet's husband) brought Linda to Mike Douglas' attention so we have Ozzie to thank for Linda's few appearances on Mike's show.

[erik]

I wish the sound were better, but that was from nearly 42 years ago after all (YIPE!!).

[the Scribe]

Nov 28, 2011 14:53:02 GMT -5 erik said:

I wish the sound were better, but that was from nearly 42 years ago after all (YIPE!!).

I know. I don't recall her sounding so "raspy" but even so she sounded pretty great. Many singers have gone far with "rasp."

[erik]

I think it's the general sound quality of the video, not Linda's "rasp"; after all, she did use a "growling" quality back in those days on more than a few such C&W-rock songs.