To celebrate thirty years as a published author and consultant in the music and entertainment genres I am going to post regular articles over the next twelve months celebrating some of my work. I have been very fortunate and am proud of everything I have achieved. We start with the introduction to my book Linda Ronstadt-A Life In Music which was published back in 2009 (Note: Photos added for this article).
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Often dismissed by rock historians as a product of the antiseptic
Californian country-music scene, an artist who relied on watered down covers of classic rock n’ roll and pop standards, this description
of Linda Ronstadt couldn’t be further from the truth. Throughout
a recording career that has covered over forty years she has recorded
in a remarkable variety of styles from pure country to pop, light
opera to big band standards and new wave to mariachi, often taking
risks beyond the reach of many critically acclaimed artists. It would
be hard, if not impossible, to find another vocalist who has had a
more diversified career.
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| Photos: (c) Unknown |
In their press release for the 1993 album
Winterlight her record company managed to convey exactly what it
was that made Linda Ronstadt such a special artist.
“Versatile doesn’t begin to describe Linda Ronstadt’s astounding career
– a wildly eclectic, devoutly adventurous journey through a myriad of
styles and genres. Who else has worked with Philip Glass and Dolly
Parton? Aaron Neville and Nelson Riddle? Ronstadt’s unforgettably
gorgeous voice, at once technically dazzling and resonating with deep
emotion, has woven a magical path from rock to mariachi, from country
to opera, gathering critical and commercial success at every stop along
the way.” - Elektra Press Release (November 1993)
To understand better Linda Ronstadt’s eclectic choice of material
one needs to look back to her birthplace, the culture in which she
was raised, her family history and those that surrounded her.
Tucson is dominated by ‘A Mountain’ which lies to the southwest
of the city although its proper name is Sentinel Peak. The ‘A’ harks
back to the days when students from the University of Arizona
whitewashed a giant ‘A’ onto the side of the mountain and it has
become an annual tradition for freshmen to repaint it. However, the
history of the peak and the city’s name go back much further. When
the Spaniards settled in the area in the 1600’s the village at the foot of
the mountain was known as ‘Stjukshon,’ which, in Indian language
translates to ‘at the foot of the dark mountain.’ It was pronounced
‘Took Son’ by the Spaniards and when the Anglos later dropped the
‘k’ sound it gave the city its current pronunciation of ‘Too-sahn.’
Tucson lies to the north and east of the intersection between
Interstate 10 and Interstate 19, the latter leading approximately
one hour’s drive down to the Mexican border at Nogales. It is the
second largest city in Arizona with a sizeable Hispanic heritage
and population. Spanish is a common language and there is a large
Mexican influence, especially when it comes to eating with an
abundance of Mexican restaurants.
It has a mix of cultures, Indian, Hispanic and Anglo, which all
make their own individual mark on the area’s local arts scene. You
can hear many styles of music, everything from jazz to hip-hop,
salsa, a recent nightclub trend, and the Mexican styled mariachi
and accordion-flavoured norteño. Mariachi originated in the central
Mexican state of Jalisco in the mid-nineteenth century but only
became a cultural icon in the 1930s and 40s. Lovers of this style of
music had no need to travel to Mexico to listen to mariachi as some
of the best examples could be found in and around the Tucson area.
In fact there is an annual International Mariachi Conference that
brings together some of the best musicians to the city. In contrast
norteño has more of a blue-collar appeal, not quite as stylized with
more flexibility in the instrumentation. However, they both have
a similar repertoire based around various styles including polkas,
cancion, ranchera and corrido.
Outside of Tucson itself and moving into the vast area that is
Arizona you can add the cowboy heritage which was fertile soil for
a mix of country, bluegrass and old-time instrumentals. Next to
the Native-American music, country and cowboy songs are most
strongly associated with the area. The era of the cowboy only lasted
from the close of the American Civil War to the end of the nineteenth
century but its lifestyle has left its mark on music. Country and
western music, as it became known, could be heard on a host of
radio stations including XERF broadcasting out of Del Rio, Texas
and KNIX and KMLE broadcasting out of Phoenix.
It was into this cultural mix that Linda Marie Ronstadt was born
on 15th July, 1946, the third youngest of four children, with a sister,
Suzi, and two brothers, Mike and Pete.
The Ronstadt family had made a remarkable contribution to
the cultural and commercial history of the south-western area of
the United States. Frederico José Maria Ronstadt, known later as
simply Fred Ronstadt, was born in 1868 near Cananea, Sonora and
spent his childhood in the area before moving to Tucson when he
was fourteen. He learned the wagon-making trade but eventually,
with the arrival of modern technology, it evolved into a successful
hardware store. However, his real love was for all kinds of music.
At the turn of the century he formed an orchestral group, Club
Filarmónico de Tucson, with some friends and would often write the
musical arrangements. Right up to his death he remained enthusiastic
about music and continued to play. As Linda often recalled, “My
grandfather used to have a band, the kind of band that plays in
the middle of a public square.” His talent would be passed down
the family and his daughter, using the name Luisa Espinel, would
become a leading exponent of Spanish song and dance in the 1930s.
Linda remembered her Aunt Luisa as a well-known star in the 20’s
and 30’s with a show that she took all over the world. Luisa brought
together many of the songs that she had learnt from her father and
published them in a volume, published by the University of Arizona
in 1946, titled Canciones de mi Padre (Songs of my Father). Fred
Ronstadt also had four sons, William, Alfred, Gilbert and Edward
who continued the musical tradition and singing became a regular
family activity.
Linda’s mother, Ruthmary Copeman, who’s own family had a
mixed heritage of German, English and Dutch, was a well-connected
society lady from Michigan although, as Linda is quick to point out,
she was no snob just dutiful. Linda’s maternal grandfather, Lloyd
Copeman was one of the great Amercian inventors. His inventions
included the first electric stove, the flexible ice cube tray and many
other items. It was while Ruthmary was a member of one of the
prestigious sororities at an Arizona College that she first met Gilbert
and it was not long after that this handsome dark haired man asked
her to marry him. Their original plan was to move to Mexico after
the wedding but, with a revolution underway, their plans were
thwarted and they settled in Tucson.
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| Photo: (c) Greenwich Entertainment |
Linda’s upbringing was a happy time without major tragedies or
catastrophes. The store was a successful business and meant that the
family lived a fairly prosperous life and Linda even owned a horse
during her childhood years. Her father taught her to ride and shoot.
He would often take her brother out hunting and, although only
four years old, she would tag along. She wanted her father’s attention
and to be part of the gang. Although the .22 calibre gun was almost
as big as she was they all used to target practice using rotten eggs.
Out of the two sisters Suzi was the better shot and Linda would
often tell the story of how her sister shot a pig, making it in a man’s
world, something Linda thought was the ultimate you could do.
Although an accomplished businessman her father’s heart, like
her grand-father’s, was in his music. He was a singer during the
depression in the 1930’s and had played local clubs and functions
and could often be heard on local radio. He was a talented singer
with a voice that Linda would often describe as “full of honey and
thick,” but family pressures put an end to any hopes of a singing
career. His parents wanted him to better himself and felt a career
in music was not the way to make a living. It remained a hobby
and he concentrated on the hardware store. He may not have had a
chance to pursue his love of music but this did not stop him from
supporting his children. He encouraged them to listen to various
styles of music, not necessarily the current popular trend but also
people like Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald. Linda
resented it at the time, preferring the music that most other American
teenagers were listening to, The Beach Boys, Sam Cooke, George
Jones and especially the music of Elvis Presley, many of whose songs
she learnt to sing.
However, that early exposure to different styles
would help her in the future and looking back she was grateful that
her father taught her to appreciate a wider variety of music. The
family would often sit around and sing together as a unit as she
would often recall during her many interviews. “My sister and two
brothers were musical and we all sang together. I sang all the time
when I was growing up. We used to sing with my father, too. He
really gave me a keen appreciation for every kind of music.” In those
early days she would sing soprano, the high notes. It wasn’t until
later that she discovered what she herself called her “chest voice”,
the voice that would go on to captivate her audiences worldwide.
Linda grew up listening to Mexican music. Her favourite female
singer at that time was Lola Beltran, and she has always credited
mariachi music as having a strong influence on her own style of
singing. “I grew up in Tucson, and one of the major influences on
my life was Mexican music. My father sang it, and sang it great. I
grew up listening to mariachi, which I still love, and which believe
it or not, had a strong influence on my singing style.” Country
music was also a major influence, especially Hank Williams. Linda
was six years old when her sister fell in love with his music and as
she shared a bedroom it seemed obvious that Suzi’s taste in music
would rub off on her. Many a time they would sit and listen to radio
XERF and the music of Williams, Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter
Family. The station played a mix of top forty hits and country music
throughout the day and in the evening rhythm and blues, known
as ‘Race Records’. At the time you couldn’t find anybody playing
that type of music in Arizona! On Sundays they would catch the
black and white gospel music broadcast over the airwaves.
The hot
summer months and blistering temperatures in Arizona would force
people indoors and Linda would often lay on the concrete floor to
keep cool, pressing her ears to the radio. Apparently she had learnt
how to turn the family radio on back when she was just three years
old and would often try to imitate the music that she heard coming
from the small speaker.
She was also exposed to the music of Gilbert and Sullivan at an
early stage. Her sister appeared in a school production of H.M.S.
Pinafore and Linda watched the show taking in all the music and
learning the lyrics to most of the songs. Her grandfather was another
link to Gilbert & Sullivan’s operettas and in 1896 had written an
arrangement of Pirates of Penzance.
Her love of music sat side-by-side with her love of the independent
life that living on a ranch allowed. However, this early freedom
would cause many problems at school, with all the restrictions that
were associated with that institution, and she rebelled.
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| Photo (c) Elektra/Asylum |
Linda hated school and would often daydream about being a
singer, or being in love. She attended a Catholic school and, it has
often been said, she did not get on with the Nuns, believing them to
be uptight, though this could have been down to her preoccupation
with boys! She was a flirt and a tease in those early college days, a
budding lolita who wore lipstick, sexy clothes and painted nails, a
born seductress. As she told Time magazine, “They hated the way
I talked about boys. I was too giggly and wore too much lipstick
and dressed too sexy.” She was also wicked. During her time at
the Catholic School she would write the answers to the catechism
high up on her legs. There was a young priest who had just been
ordained and during the tests she would slide her dress up high
to read the answers knowing full well that the young priest could
see. Embarrassed, he would turn away. Albeit hard to believe, her
ultimate fantasy was to seduce a priest. She would often look back
on these times with pride at the effect her flirting had on boys but
with a touch of sheepishness at how naughty she was. While other
girls she grew up with held dreams of finishing college, marrying and
having a family, Linda was adamant that marriage and children were
not an option, it was a singing career for her. She once said, “Since
I was six years old I have been looking for the perfect boyfriend,”
although she also commented that she would never give up singing
for any old boyfriend.
With her brother and sister, Mike and Suzi, she started a folk
trio making the rounds of the local Tucson clubs, coffee houses
and campus music venues. They called themselves The Three
Ronstadts, a trio that she would often describe as “The Anita Kerr
Singers of Tucson”, and later they changed their name to the New
Union Ramblers. They performed a repertoire of folk, country and
Mexican music and although they were never going to set the music
world alight it was a start. Linda was really nervous about getting
up and singing in front of a crowd and their debut appearance must
have been a nightmare for her.
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| Photo: (c) Unknown |
Fortunately it didn’t take long before
she was addicted to performing and, although later in her career
there were still signs of nervousness, she soon learned to cope with
stage fright. Playing bass with the trio was an old friend, Bobby
Kimmel, who would play a major part in Linda’s early career. He
loved Linda’s voice and he encouraged her to become a professional
singer. Realising that to make any headway in the business he would
have to get out of Tucson, Kimmel headed west to California. This
was in 1963, and a year later he invited her to join him and form a
band in Los Angeles.
Her brothers and sister would go on to take different career
paths. Mike went to work in the hardware store and helped to run
it while Pete, who Linda always credited as having the most talent
vocally, joined the police force and would end up as Chief of Police
in Tucson. Suzi would eventually get married and raise a family.
Meanwhile Linda was studying at Arizona State University at this
time but after just one semester she decided she’d had enough. So
in 1964, with just $30 in her hand, Linda left behind the clubs of
Tucson and headed for Los Angeles, her childhood dreams still very
much alive.
