thank you Linda!

I grew up in a house full of music. Back in the day, the popular music scene was heavy with male voices but there were some female singers that were able to break through and become soloists in their own right. I had many of their albums and would sing along, soaking in their beautiful voices. Among these fabulous, strong women was Linda Ronstadt who rang out on the airwaves leading The Stone Poneys and who eventually went off into a solo career. This weekend Linda announced that she can no longer sing. Parkinson’s Disease has taken her voice. This news grabbed me in a way that I had not expected, knowing that she can no longer share her magnificent gift. She mainly sang other people’s songs rather than originals but she put a magnificent spin on anything she touched. There’s been an outpouring of love for her via the internet and other media since her announcement, including a very touching post from Mike Nesmith who wrote Different Drum and proclaimed that Linda did more for his song than he ever would have been able to and he was so proud and grateful that she took on his song. I hope she’s taking comfort in all the messages from her fans. It saddens me that she’s been silenced but I’m so grateful that her voice will live on in her recordings. Below are two of her recordings that are among my very favorites. Thank you Linda!