Possessing one of the greatest voices in popular music, Linda Ronstadt collected 11 Grammys and a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame over her 44 year career. As an Arizona State University student, she met Bobby Kimmel and together they moved to LA and joined up with Kenny Edwards to form the Stone Poneys, becoming a southern California folk staple.
In 1968 Ronstadt began a solo career with two records that highlighted her country roots before releasing a pivotal record. The 1971 self-titled record featured a band that would go on to be the Eagles backing her and incorporated songs from the decades’ best songwriters, including Jackson Browne and Neil Young. The softer, folkier sound was perfected by 1974 on Heart Like a Wheel which soared to number 1 on sales of over 2 million copies.
Linda Ronstadt scored several hits in the 70s and 80s applying her incredible voice to material from the folk, rock and new wave genres. She sensed a need to move on when her 1982 album Get Closer failed to go platinum.
Moving on, Ronstadt appeared in a broadway musical, recorded an album of standards and then two records of pre rock hits – all of which sold well. She also recorded albums with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris that returned to her country roots. Exploring her Mexican-American heritage, Ronstadt had a surprise hit with an album of traditional Mexican songs.
In 2006 Ronstadt released Adieu False Heart, and this would be her last studio album. She toured to support the Grammy nominated record but in 2011 she announced her retirement. Later she revealed that she suffers from Parkinson’s disease and that it had left her unable to perform
