Born on July 15, 1946, in Tucson, Arizona, Linda Maria Ronstadt is a singer and actress famously known for starring in the 1983 movie, “The Pirates of Penzance,” the 1986 film, “An American Tail,” and the 1989 movie, “The Abyss.”
She is said to have performed and recorded in an array of genres, including rock, country, rock ‘n’ roll, rhythm and blues, new wave, reggae, big band, jazz, opera, folk, Cajun, Latin American, Broadway, Afro-Cuban and Mexican, kids’ music, adult contemporary, acoustic rock, gospel, and art rock.
Singer and star Linda Ronstadt poses for a portrait in Los Angeles, California, circa 1982 | Source: Getty Images
Ronstadt has won many accolades and laurels, including 11 Grammy Awards, three American Music Awards, and an Emmy Award. On April 10, 2014, the songstress was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The award-winning singer said it took her many years to tell Clooney that she and Brown had brought her second-hand roses.
Moreover, the “Long Long Time” singer was also nominated for Broadway’s 1981 Tony Award as Best Actress (Musical) for “The Pirates of Penzance”—a character she recreated in the movie version of the same title in 1983.
She also teamed up with top country musicians Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris, forming The Trio, and released two albums in 1987 and 1999, both a roaring success. The three ladies witnessed their first track, “To Know Him is to Love Him,” top Billboard Magazine’s country singles chart in 1987.
Ronstadt was once considered one of the highest-paid female musicians in rock and was famous for many things. Her unique voice enabled her to bag multiple awards and rule the charts, garnering massive praise even on Broadway. But that wasn’t all.
Because of her magical voice and timeless aura, America’s former president, Barack Obama, and Kermit the Frog reportedly had crushes on her. Ronstadt experienced her first wave of success in the 1960s as L.A.’s “Stone Poneys” lead singer.
Known for her remarkable soprano that cemented her name as one of the premium song interpreters of her era, Ronstadt is also known for prioritizing privacy in her personal life. In 2013, the iconic singer sat down to discuss her memoir, “Simple Dreams,” where she mentioned that her voice started to change at 50.
The then-67-year-old Ronstadt didn’t state a solid reason for retiring from music in 2009, although the book made a cryptic reference to when she had a healthy voice.
When asked if the former musician had tick disease, she replied that she had two terrible tick bites in the 1980s, after which her health never improved. Not having mentioned the information in her book, Ronstadt said people didn’t see her much afterward because she couldn’t sing.
Ronstadt made another shocking confession, adding she had Parkinson’s disease, which could have been due to her tick bite. In the same interview, she recalled her doctors telling her about the link between tick bites and Parkinson’s disease and that a virus could switch on a gene or lead to neurodegeneration.
It wasn’t long before Ronstadt realized she couldn’t sing, having struggled for almost six years on stage. She amusingly reflected on the whole episode, adding how she contemplated singing upside down and juggling—anything to bring back her musical streak.
Sadly, nothing helped, and all of Ronstadt’s efforts were in vain. She reportedly only knew that her issue was either muscular or mechanical. Later, after her Parkinson’s diagnosis, she finally learned the reason for her lost singing voice.