![]() She recorded definitive versions of many important songs and turned her star power towards helping establish many up-and-coming songwriters. When the Southern California country-rock scene started to bubble up into the national consciousness, Ronstadt was there as an able interpreter and spokeswoman. ![]() Hard rock fans and disco freaks alike took great pleasure in trashing Linda Ronstadt throughout the 'Seventies, but you gotta give the gal credit where credit is due. Linda Ronstadt "The Very Best Of Linda Ronstadt" (Rhino, 2002) By the end of the decade, Ronstadt had become more of a pop singer, with a more overt emphasis on rock and disco, but for country fans, her early albums hold a lot of gentle jewels. Like Emmylou Harris, Ronstadt was known for her track record spotting talented songwriters, and for championing their work. The Eagles were originally her backing band, and her clique of collaborators included talents such as songwriter J. It's a pity Coolidge and Ronstadt have not been as consistently prolific as Harris.Linda Ronstadt Discography - Slipcue.Com Guide To Hick Musicīack in the 1970s, Linda Ronstadt was, literally, the poster girl for the Southern California country-rock movement, palling around with all the hot young musicians in the drug-soaked scene, while recording several sweet albums of cannily crafted country-folk-pop. I discovered Ronstadt, Rita Coolidge and Emmylou Harris at the same time in the 1970s and have remained a fan ever since. Anyone who appreciates crossover country, contemporary folk or pop-rock will enjoy this classic album of melodic songs. Ronstadt's flexible voice blends perfectly with all of these styles to ensure a cohesive sound and a very enjoyable listening experience after all these years. Other beautiful ballads include the title track, Someone To Lay Down Beside Me and If He's Ever Near. ![]() The buoyant pop song Give One Heart has an addictive hook and is performed with gusto, while the Spanish ballad Lo Siento Mi Vida is soulful and moving, the perfect vehicle for bringing out the tender side of her voice. Her version of the gospel-reggae classic Rivers Of Babylon is closer to that of The Melodians than Boney M and she does a stunning cover of Buddy Holly's That'll Be The Day. This is probably Linda Ronstadt's most accomplished and beautiful album in its refreshing variety of styles and well chosen material. All in all, this is a terrific album and one that is really a showcase for Linda at her very best. My personal favorite here is Tracey nelson's "Down So Low", and of course, "Hasten Down the Wind", a song so reminiscent of the soulful songs on previous albums like "Prisoner In Disguise" and Long, Long. She soars with an interpretation of the traditional "Rivers Of Babylon", and a lovely effort at blue-eyed soul with "Give One Heart". "Tattler" and "Try Me Again" are sizzling, as is a well-arranged version of Bonhoff's "Lose Again". Then too, Patsy Cline's "Crazy" is powerfully interpreted. The title tune, written by songwriter and performing wildman Warren Zevon, "Hasten down The Wind", is a haunting, powerfully performed song. Her fans knew what they liked, and they sure seemed to like this terrific collection of so many different genres gathered under a single tent. Well, so much for them pesky critic fellas! From a raucous hit song like Buddy Holly's "That'll Be The Day" to a sweet and soulful interpretation of Karla Bonhoff's plaintive "Someone To Lay Down Beside Me", Linda pulls out all of the stops, and although the album was panned critically, it was also her first album to go platinum. She shows here just how versatile and eclectic her approach to some interesting material could be. Like the legendary Johnny Rivers, who always seemed to have a magical touch for turning other people's work into brilliant covers and best-selling albums, Ronstadt here does a star turn with other people's songs. This is a classic Ronstadt album, recorded when she was really in her prime, busy cranking out the volume of hits and those seemingly effortless and sometimes facile interpretations of other people's songs, showing just how original an artist she was.
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