What's New • Torch with Linda Ronstadt

Linda Ronstadt has had a career that has spanned over five decades, and many different genres. It all started in the 1960s, when a an 18-year-old from Tuscon, Arizona, moved to Los Angeles, California, wanting to make a career in music. Soon she was playing with some guys, and they called themselves The Stone Poneys. The young Ronstadt wanted to blend the Rock she loved with the Folk she played as a teen in Tucson. In the fall of 1967, they released a song written by Michael Nesmith, better known as the Wool-capped guitarist for The Monkees. "Different Drum" became a hit for the the group, and started Ronstadt on a journey that would take several twist and turns few expected. That would include her time as a Country singer, making hits like "Silver Threads and Golden Needles". There was also her time as the Goddess of Rock, when her stunning good looks and amazing voice had her ruling the radio from the mid-1970s when she started to cross over to the mid-80s, with an endless string of hit songs and albums. She also took Broadway by storm, appearing in the New York Shakespeare Festival production of 'The Pirates of Penzance' and, later, a production of the opera 'La Boheme'. She also explored her Mexican heritage with a series of albums of Latin music, winning her several Grammy Awards. And, of course, there was the trilogy of albums she released that featured Jazz and Pop Standards, starting with the 1983 release, "What's New". Ronstadt worked with iconic conductor and bandleader Nelson Riddle. At a time when few were paying attention to Jazz, seeing it as the music of nostalgia, Ronstadt wanted to move in that direction, despite a record label unsure what she was thinking. But 'What's New' shocked everyone, becoming a huge hit, marking triple-Platinum sales and making it to #3 on the Billboard Album Chart, bested on by Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' and Lionel Richie's 'Can't Slow Down'. Tonight I offer you four songs sung by Ronstadt during the 'What's New' period. The first is the title cut off the album, written by Johnny Burke and Bob Haggart. Here is Linda Ronstadt singing "What's New".

How could you possibly record an album of Jazz standards and not include at least one song by George and Ira Gershwin? Well, you can't, and Ronstadt picked the epic song, "I've Got A Crush on You". The song was a perfect fit for her voice, allowing it to soar while maintaining her emotional connection to the lyrics. She managed to breathe new life into the song, yet remain respectful to the original versions. This is Linda singing "I've Got A Crush on You".

In 1941, Jimmy Davis, Jimmy Sherman & Roger "Ram" Ramirez wrote a song for the great Billie Holiday to sing that quickly became a standard. "Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be)" seemed just the right song for Holiday, with an intense and emotional storyline we can all understand. While some might be intimidated by the song, Ronstadt was not. It was included on 'What's New', and she did an beautiful job with it. Please enjoy Linda Ronstadt singing "Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be)".

While 'What's New' was her first released album of Jazz Standards, it was not her first recording. Ronstadt spent time in the recording studio with Jerry Wexler, who had made a name for himself as producer for such greats as Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and the Allman Brothers. They recorded several songs in 1981, but Ronstadt wasn't happy with the results, so the project was shelved. Her interest in making the Jazz recordings did not wane, and soon had hooked up with Nelson Riddle to make 'What's New'. The unreleased album was said to be naked after a song written by the great Fats Waller, "Keeping Out of Mischief Now". Waller wrote the song in 1929, more than 50 years before Ronstadt tackled the genre. When she was putting together a concert presentation of 'What's New', she included the Waller tune in the performances, which were thankfully captured on film. I love to watch Linda Ronstadt singing "Keeping Out of Mischief Now".

I suppose my renewed interest in Linda was the recent announcement she has Parkinson's Disease, and it has stripped her of her voice. I've been a fan since the 1970s, when I was buying 'Simple Dreams', 'Hasten Down The Wind', and just about any album she released. I guess I should be grateful to have so much amazing music available before the songbird was silenced. You can purchase 'What's New' from iTunes and Amazon.

Tinseltown Torch

Clockwise: Ella Fitzgerald; Billie Holiday; Aretha Franklin; and Linda Ronstadt.

Tonight I thought I would pick some amazing songs I first heard in films coming out of Hollywood. Much of my early music education came from the black and white movies I watched when I could, featuring the greats of the business like Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Ann Miller, and just so many other talented artists. I will begin with "Isn't It Romantic", a song composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Lorenz Hart. It was introduced in the 1932 film 'Love Me Tonight', sung by Jeanette MacDonald and Maurice Chevalier. For tonight, I offer a version by Ella Fitzgerald, recorded in 1957. This is Ella's "Isn't It Romantic".

The next song was written by Herman Hupfeld in 1931, but it wasn't really known until it appeared in a film in 1942. When pianist Sam played and sang "As Time Goes By" in the bar in 'Casablanca', the film starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, it became an instant classic. Sam, played by Paul Dooley, delivered the song perfectly, a perfect theme for the love heroically lost in the film. Tonight, I offer you a version of the song by the great Billie Holiday. She recorded it with Eddie Heywood & His Orchestra in 1944. I hope you enjoy Billie Holiday singing "As Time Goes By".

"When You Wish Upon A Star" was written by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington for Walt Disney's 1940 adaptation of 'Pinocchio'. The song became a theme for Disney Studios, and I remember hearing it every Sunday night when I watched 'Walt Disney's The Wonderful World of Color' television series in my youth. It is such a wonderful song filled with hope. I chose a version sung by one of my favorite singers, the amazing Linda Ronstadt. She was perfect for the song, having such clarity and crispness in her notes. I love this live performance from 1986, as she sings "When You Wish Upon A Star", off her 1986 album, 'For Sentimental Reasons'.

The final song of the evening was written by James V. Monaco, the lyrics by Joseph McCarthy in 1913. One of the earliest recordings of "You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)" was by Al Jolson, and it has been sung by so many, from Screaming Jay Hawkins to Cookie Monster to Rufus Wainwright. But one of the most memorable versions for me was sung by the young Judy Garland, with special lyrics written as a birthday tribute to Clark Gable. When I found a version by the great Aretha Franklin, I just knew it had include it in this post. I hope you love Areatha's "You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)", featured on her 1962 album, 'The Electrifying Aretha Franklin'.

Hope your weekend is a great one!

Great Music from Emmylou Harris

I have gone far too long without showcasing the great talents of the amazing Emmylou Harris. I have so much respect for her for so many different reasons, the first and foremost being her incredible gift, that gorgeous singing voice. She has a remarkable, crystalline tone, seemingly never veering off whether singing harmony or taking the lead on the melody. That has been the case for the last five decades, and shows no signs of it being different any time soon. Raised in a military family, Harris moved around a bit after being born in Birmingham, Alabama. While attending college in Greensboro, North Carolina, her interest in music grew, studying the music of the great Folk artists like Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. She left school to pursue a career in music in New York City, and soon found herself a single mother, having divorced her first husband. She moved back with her parents, now living in a suburb of Washington, DC. After a time to settle in, Harris began performing once again, and it wasn't long before she was noticed. Soon she was working with Gram Parsons, touring and recording with him. This was really Emmylou's introduction to Country music, as Parsons was noted for his Country, stylized with Blues and Rock influences. However, when Parsons died in 1973 of an accidental overdose, Harris was deeply hurt, but translated that into her music, writing "Boulder To Birmingham", an early signature song. But it was also time for a new direction for Harris, and industry insiders took notice of her work, and soon she was under contract with Reprise Records. And that lead to her solo debut, 'Pieces of the Sky'.

'Pieces of the Sky' was released in 1975, and was a stunningly beautiful album. There is such purity in Harris' vocals, and such an honesty in her delivery, it is hard not to fall in love. One of the great songs included on the album was "Too Far Gone", written by Billy Sherrill, best known for his work with the great Tammy Wynette. This is a gorgeous song, and was her first single. Although it didn't connect with the public in the 1975 release, it was re-released in 1978, and made it to #13 on the Billboard Country chart.

In December of 1975, Harris' sophomore effort hit the stores. 'Elite Hotel' was a great collection that featured two #1 singles on the Country charts, and three that made it to the Top 3. The first was "Together Again", written by the legendary Buck Owens. "One of These Days" made it to #3, solidifying Emmylou's position as a star on the rise.

The third single off the album was "Sweet Dreams", the great song written by Don Gibson, and originally made famous by the immortal Patsy Cline. While many would try to stay away from the shadow cast by Cline, it was not a problem for Harris, whose great version made it to #1 on the Billboard Country chart.

But sometimes, it is not just the chart-topping songs that take notice. Emmylou garnered attention when she recorded "Here, There and Everywhere", part of the great catalog of Lennon/McCartney songs, although it is rumored to be written by Paul McCartney, and credited to him and his Beatles partner. It appeared on the 1966 album, 'Revolver' before it was a part of the album by Harris. But Harris gave her own interpretation of the song, and showed off her ability to take a standard not written for the Country audience, yet give it new life.

In 1979, Harris released 'Blue Kentucky Girl', her fifth studio album with Warner Brothers/Reprise. Between the fourth, 'Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town' and 'Blue Kentucky Girl', she moved toward a more traditional Country direction. She also enlisted some of her friends to support her on the album, including Tanya Tucker, Don Everly, Dolly Parton, and Linda Ronstadt.

And while Emmylou continued to write and record her own music, she never stayed away from taking on an older song. One of those songs was the iconic "Save The Last Dance For Me", written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, and made famous in the 1960 recording by The Drifters, featuring the lead vocals of Ben E. King.

I will admit I first came into contact with her on her work with Linda Ronstadt, one of my all-time favorite vocalists. She would often sing harmonies on her albums, a wonderful collaboration. And it is hard to ignore the Emmylou joined forces with Ronstadt and Dolly Parton to release two albums billed as Trio. There was some amazing work done there. For a great collection of Emmylou's early music, check out 'Emmylou Harris Anthology: The Warner/Reprise Years' on iTunes and Amazon. To learn more about her, visit her official website.

Linda Ronstadt • Heart Like A Wheel

Just about 38 years ago, an amazing singer put out a album I still think is amazing. In November of 1974, Linda Ronstadt released 'Heart Like A Wheel', an amazing work of artistry that doesn't have a single song I skip over when I listen to it now, almost four decades later. It also supplied Ronstadt with two of her early trademark songs. But I will be the first to admit I wasn't paying much attention to Ms. Ronstadt at this point, instead concentrating my musical love on Barbra Streisand and Karen Carpenter. I caught on to Linda's charms with her 1977 release, 'Simple Dreams'. It was then I explored her back catalog, and found this exquisite jewel. You see, Ronstadt was still considered a Country singer at this point, although this album started her crossover, singing Pop and Pop every bit as good as she could sing country. If fact, some might say even better. In fact, the first single off the album owed as much to Rock and Blues as to any other genre. Here is "You're No Good", written by Clint Ballard, Jr. The song made it to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February of 1975. Most of the instrumentation for the song was created by the late Andrew Gold, Linda's good friend.

The next single was written by Phil Everly, one of the talented Everly Brothers who had such great success in the late 1950s and early 1960s. In fact, "When Will I Be Loved" was a hit for the Everly Brothers in 1960, and the Rock-A-Billy song went to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. The second single off 'Heart Like A Wheel' went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #1 on the Cashbox chart, an amazing follow-up for the first big hit.

While Capitol Records decided to release only two singles officially to radio, there were certainly other songs on the album that could have done well. I am not sure if that would include the title cut, although it is one of my favorites off the album. There is such a stunning honesty to "Heart Like A Wheel", a song written by Anna McGarrigle. The structure of the song is just gorgeous, and I could listen to it again and again. Anna and her sister Kate appear on the song, singing in harmony with Linda, as does the always amazing Emmylou Harris. Here is a fantastic live version of the song.

And while the final featured song was not officially released as a single, it was the B-Side for "You're No Good". So it did get airplay, and managed to hit the Country, Pop, and Adult Contemporary charts. It also earned Linda a nomination for a Grammy Award in the category of 'Best Country Vocal Performance Female'. Here is Linda singing a song written by the great Hank Williams, "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)". By the way, she won that Grammy!

And while I might not have been paying attention, certainly plenty of other folks were, for it went double Platinum in sales, and reached #1 on the Billboard album chart. And, along with the Grammy she won, Linda was also nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance Female, losing to Janis Ian for "At Seventeen", and Album Of The Year, losing to Paul Simon's 'Still Crazy After All These Years'. You can purchase 'Heart Like A Wheel" on iTunes and Amazon. If you are a lover of music and don't already have it, you should. Almost 40 year later, it is still brilliant.

Contemporary Blue

Clockwise: Alison Moyet; Trio, Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton & Emmylou Harris; Cyndi Lauper; and Bette Midler.

Sometimes a modern-day girl can get the blues, you know? I know I've featured singers from the 1930s and 40s on Saturday nights, but this collection of ladies proves that the blues haven't gone away. And every woman has a right to sing the blues. I will begin with the woman who actually was the inspiration for this post, Alison Moyet. I have been a fan of Alison since her days recording with Vince Clarke in Yazoo. Once they both moved on, I continued to love her solo music, and the 2004 album The Voice was no exception. The album was a collection of smokey songs sung form the heart. She included a song written by Declan Patrick MacManus, someone we might better know by his stage name, Elvis Costello. "Almost Blue" is a gorgeous song, and Moyet delivers it perfectly. Here is a live performance of the song.



Sadly, if you are in the US, you can only find The Voice as an import, and no downloads. I was insane for the music put out by Trio, a project combining the talents of Dolly Parton, Emylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt. Their voices were spectacular together, and the music they sang was a perfect combination of nostalgia, Country, Bluegrass, and Pop. One of the songs they sung was the fantastic "I Feel The Blues Moving In", written by Bluegrass legend Del McCoury. This was on their Trio II album.



You can find Trio II on iTunes and Amazon. Honestly, you can buy the 1987 Trio album, or the 1999 follow-up, and you will be very happy. Next up, we move to a song recorded for an album released in 1972 by Bette Midler. She was just starting out her career, and really beginning to turn the heads of people in the industry. And not just for her outrageous live performances, but because her talent was just so obvious, it would not be denied. It is impossible to deny her recording of "Am I Blue", a song written by Harry Akst and Grant Clarke in 1929, is fantastic, and still sounds perfect forty years later.



You can find The Divine Miss M on iTunes and Amazon. For the final song tonight, I call on a singer who is really a national treasure, at least in my book. Cyndi Lauper came to the attention of the world in 1983 with the release of She's So Unusual, the album that introduced her to us all. Whether it was "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" or "True Colors" or "Time After Time", all of which Lauper had a hand in writing, she showed herself to be a great artist. Fast-forward twenty-seven years, and Cyndi is still blowing us away with the release of Memphis Blues, a brilliant collection of blues songs recorded in Memphis. The album was almost unanimously listed as one of the Top 10 albums of the year by music critics world-wide. She recorded "How Blue Can You Get", a song credited to jazz critic Leonard Feather and his wife, Jane Feather, although many believe it was just Jane. A blues classic, the song has ben recorded by the greats, including BB King. Once again, Cyndi proved her talent was endless, as she sings the song with the great Jonny Lang.



You can find Memphis Blues on iTunes and Amazon. If you don't have it, you should!

Sunday Morning with Linda Ronstadt

I have long thought that Linda Ronstadt is one of the more spectacular voices of my generation. So it is surprising I have yet to included Linda in my regular Sunday morning feature. But I will make that up now. Linda never had a problem bringing her all to just about any genre of music. Prisoner In Disguise, her 1975 release, is a prime example of this. She brought the Country, the Rock, and the soulful philosophic/theological questions in songs like "Many Rivers To Cross", the amazing song by Jimmy Cliff.



Also off the same album was the gorgeous and majestic "The Sweetest Gift". On the track, she sings it as a duet with Emmylou Harris, and together they sound like an angelic choir. They deliver on the song written by James. B. Coasts in 1942 like few others could, with a simple beauty and the courage to sing from the heart.



You can purchase Prisoner In Disguise from iTunes and Amazon.

Vera, Nina, Kay, Linda & Diana Sing!

Clockwise from top: Vera Lynn; Nina Simone; Diana Krall; Kay Thompson; and Linda Ronstadt.

It is Saturday night, and time for another post devoted to those incredible ladies who make us feel every ounce of hurt, every pang of love, and the softness of a kiss. While being backed by a big band. A week or so ago, I made up a couple of playlists in my iTunes so I thought I would give the first five songs of the first one, and hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I lead off with the voice that many said saw the British through World War I and World War II, Vera Lynn. She sings a romantic British song written in 1939 with by Eric Maschwitz and Manning Sherwin, that soon became a standard many of the greats were singing. Vera recorded "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square" in 1940, and it is just so very beautiful.



I don't know if anyone can say enough about the gifted Nina Simone. Nina managed to make every song her own, with an unusual yet amazing arrangement. This is her singing the song "For All We Know", a 1934 song with music by J. Fred Coots and lyrics by Sam M. Lewis. This is Ms. Simone performing it in 1961.



I've already gushed on about Linda Ronstadt in earlier posts, but I can never seem to get enough of her. In the Mid-80s, when she was still making regular trips to the top of the Billboard charts, Ronstadt decided she wanted to record some of the great songs of the 1930s and 1940s, and have Nelson Riddle conduct the orchestra. She made three albums, and the second was Lush Life. That record included a stunning version of "Falling In Love Again", a song composed by Friedrich Hollaender as "Ich Bin Von Kopf Bis Fuß Auf Liebe Eingestellt" (literally: "Head to toe, I'm ready for love"). The song was originally performed in the film Der Blaue Engel (English translation: The Blue Angel) by Marlene Dietrich, who also recorded the most famous English version. However, here is the Ronstadt's "Falling In Love Again", released in 1984.



Kay Thompson was a woman of many talents, and one of those was her voice. While Thompson might be better known today as the writer of the Eloise book series for children, she was also the god-mother of Liza Minnelli (who many think was the inspiration for Eloise), and a singing and movie star in her own right. This is a clip of her singing "All Over Nothing At All" by Jack Jenney and His Orchestra featuring Kay on piano. The song was written by Peter Tinturin and Jack Lawrence, and featured in the 1937 film, Manhattan Merry-Go-Round.



I truly enjoy the music of Canadian chanteuse, Diana Krall. This contemporary torch singer can weave her spell with an ease and seductive nature just draws you in. I can't be the only one to think that, for she managed to hook Elvis Costello, her husband since 2003, and the father of their twin sons. Here is a recording of her singing "I Remember You", written by Victor Schertzinger and the great Johnny Mercer.



Have a great Saturday night!

Early Linda Ronstadt

In many ways, I think Linda Ronstadt had one of the most magnificent female voices of the last 100 years of music. Every time she sang, there was such a richness to her tone, a glorious fullness to the emotional content, it was hard not to be swept away by it. I first discovered her while I was in high school, and thought the Simple Dreams album was brilliant. That was her 1977 release, and it catapulted her to Pop stardom. Sure, she had a moderate hit when she was a lead singer of the band Stone Ponys with "Different Drum," but starting a solo career was something entirely different. Keep in mind I was never one to leave well enough alone, and so after Simple Dreams I went back and discovered some of her previous albums, including her Country recordings. I thought they were amazing. One listen to her 1969 release, Hand Sown...Home Grown, and you could hear the influences of the folk legends like Bob Dylan in the core of the it, offering in up more of a Country Rock feel. You can certainly feel it in the song "Silver Threads & Golden Needles," written by Dick Reynolds and Jack Rhodes. Here is Linda singing it, with a rather strong band accompanying her. It is her good friends The Eagles.



And while I might have resisted purchasing her 1970 album Silk Purse, with the coquettish Ronstadt posing in a pig pen on the cover, it quickly became one of my favorites. But, to be fair, most of her albums have been favorites of mine at some point or another. One listen to the iconic Lovesick Blues, written by Cliff Friend and Irving Mills and recorded by some of the greats of Nashville and you know you are hearing a special voice.



Another great song on the album was yet another legendary song, only this time not known as a Country staple. I loved the Country twist she put on the Gerry Goffin and Carole King hit, "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" The beauty of her voice is there in full force.



And finally, there is one of my favorites off the album, a song written by Gary White called "Long, Long Time." There is such a simple beauty to the song, and Linda's rich vocals caress the emotions in every way they should. This is a live performance from a variety show hosted by Country legend Glenn Campbell.



You can find all of these albums on The Best of Linda Ronstadt: The Capital Years on iTunes and Amazon.

Torch Songs, 60s Style

Clockwise: Judy Collins; Joni Mitchell; Joan Baez; and Linda Ronstadt.

Big Band and Jazz singers were not the only artists allowed to sing a good torch song. After all, what makes a torch song? Love gone wrong, that's what it's all about. And in the late 1960s and early 1970s, it was the time of free love, and plenty of that free love went wrong. Like in 1967, when the stunning Judy Collins sang about a Hard Lovin' Loser, written by Richard Farina, and originally recorded by Richard and his wife Mimi, who was also the sister of Joan Baez. Check out Judy singing the song live, with the assistance of the very talented Tom and Dickie Smothers, on their show.



Next, I thought of the angelic voice of Joni Mitchell, and after side-stepping the obvious choice of Both Sides Now, I made my way to a gorgeous song off he 1971 album Blue. It was said that the song really is a discussion of the end of Joni's love affair with Graham Nash, of Crosby, Still & Nash fame. So here is Joni Mitchell singing A Case Of You, a performance on the BBC in 1974.



In 1974, Linda Ronstadt released the brilliant album Heart Like A Wheel. The album combined Rock, Country, Blues, and Pop like few had been able to do before, and it was incredible. It included a cover of a Hank Williams song that few could sing like Ronstadt could. And did. Here is Linda Ronstadt singing I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You) featuring the beautiful vocals of Emmylou Harris.



For many, Joan Baez is the Queen of Folk music. I have to say that would include me. She starting performing in the coffeehouses in the 1950s, and continued for the following decades, making memorable music all the time. On the New York City circuit, she performed with some of the greats of the business, including Bob Dylan. The following clip is Diamonds & Rust, inspired by her relationship with Dylan in the early 1960s. It is an amazing song. Here is the Queen of Folk singing her own song, Diamonds & Rust.

Johnny Cash & Linda Ronstadt Duet

Sometimes I am at a total loss for words - hard to imagine, I know, but it does happen. And when I try to figure out what to say about two people I respect so much, that is precisely what happens. And it is the case when the immortal Johnny Cash duets with one of the most remarkable voices ever, Linda Ronstadt. When Linda was breaking into the Country music, she appeared on Johnny's show a couple of times, between 1969 and 1971. Here they sing the traditional folk song I Never Will Marry. Much later, Ronstadt will record the song with another Country superstar, Dolly Parton, as part of her 1977 release, Simple Dreams. But here she sings with with The Man In Black.



And all I can do is sigh.

Lighting Linda's Torch

Linda Ronstadt has one of the most incredible voices, and she has used it to sing some incredible torch songs through the years, never more evident than when she recorded songs form the Great American Songbook with the incredible Nelson Riddle. Together they released What's New? in 1983, Lush Life in 1984, and For Sentimental Reasons in 1986. For tonight's selection of torch songs, I am going to pull from just the first album, with five incredible songs that will tug at your heartstrings, make you reach for a tissue, and just be glad to be alive and feeling. Take the first song, a classic to be sure. Someone To Watch Over Me was written by the legendary siblings George and Ira Gershwin, and is a stellar song. The warmth and strength of Linda's voice give it wings to fly...



Mow, if there were textbook examples of musical genres, Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be) would most certainly define the Torch Song. Linda brings a certain longing to the song, and brings me back to a time when I was a bit more innocent, with much the same feeling as Linda's performance communicates for the song written by Jimmy Davis, Jimmy Sherman, and Roger "Ram" Ramirez.



The full orchestra just envelops parts of What's New?, transporting us back in time, only to be awakened by Ronstadt's amazing tone and bold phrasing, reminding us what a fantastic song Johnny Burke and Bob Haggart wrote.



The song was written by Ned Washington, Victor Young and Bing Crosby and recorded by Crosby 51 years before Linda sang I Don't Stand A Ghost of a Chance With You, but she breathes new life into it, proving that great music is really timeless.



It seems only right that we should go full circle, and come back to George and Ira Gershwin on the final offering, I've Got A Crush On You. This song has been sung by some of the greatest voices, including Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Barbra Streisand, and Cleo Laine. This recording certainly stands up to them all.



You can purchase the album What's New? on iTunes and Amazon.com.

2nd Blogiversary

At any given moment, it can feel like I have been blogging here for almost no time, while there are moments when I feel like I have been doing it for-freakin-ever. There are moments when I feel incredibly inspired, and there are times when I know, deep in my heart of hearts, that I will never be able to come up with any music I have not already covered. Yep, in a nutshell, that is my blogging life. Well, that, and looking through pictures and videos trying to decide what it the best to use for a post. And, of course, finding new and interesting way to procrastinate about writing the next post.

So, to avoid my procrastinating until the blogiversary is well beyond us, I will be doing a series of short posts filled with great music as a way of saying thank you to my regular readers, and to those who are just stopping in. I will start with one of my favorite female vocalists of the last 40 years - Linda Ronstadt. I chose to lead the day off with a live performance from 1976 in Offenbach, Germany. She sings Heart Like A Wheel, the title cut from an album of the same name. To make it all the more special, she duets with the late Andrew Gold, whose obituary I just wrote.

Rest In Peace, Phoebe Snow

It is with a true sadness that I say Rest In Peace, Phoebe Snow. Such an amazing singer, a true talent with a gift of a vocal instrument and a true elegance when using that gift. She manage to seamlessly marry Jazz and Pop music in a way that few have been able to. The miraculous things she could do with her voice, at once sporty and agile, yet subtle and pliant when needed. There was no mistaking her voice once you hear it, so definitive her style. Take, for example, her 1975 hit, Poetry Man. There was nothing to compare it to then, nor has there been since.



Part of the miracle was not only the sound, but at the time Snow was signed with a 'minor' label, not one the the usual suspects. There was no PR machine behind the song making it a hit, it was all word of mouth and radio play. Today, how much airplay could an artist like that get? Little to none. The single went to #5 on the Billbaord Hot 100, and Snow was pursued and signed by Columbia Records. In 1977 Snow released her fourth album, Never Letting Go, and released the spicy cut Love Makes A Woman.



The title cut off that album is a favorite of mine. Written by Stephen Bishop, Never Letting Go, this is a beautiful song sung perfectly by Phoebe, even better than by Bishop himself.



There was an amazing comaraderie among some artist at the time, including one of my all-time favorites, Linda Ronstadt. She was one of the top=selling acts of the 70s, and was always willing to share her success, hiring some incredible talents to tour with her. In 1979, she appeared on Saturday Night Live and brought Snow with her, and they did an incredible cover of The Married Men, a song by the gifted sister trio, The Roches.



Snow left us far too soon, with a rich yet limited archive of music. She had all but left the music business to take care of a special needs child, who passed in 2007. She started making more appearances in 2008, including a guest spot in the movie Noah's Arc: Jumping The Broom, which featured her music in the soundtrack. She suffered a brain hemorrhage in January 2010, and has been battling since. She passed away in New Jersey on April 26, 2011.

Sunday Evening with Linda Ronstadt

I have no problem admitting I am almost addicted to her music. Back in the 70s, I couldn't stop listening to her, and now 30-some years later, I still have the same problem. Her voice is just exquisite, and she sings some of the most amazing songs. So as I was listening to music so I could post a birthday wish to the equally gorgeous TrannyBeth yesterday, I kept coming back to Linda. And I decided to not fight the feeling, and go with a post on Sunday, too. And it starts with a great cover of a Motown song, Hurt So Bad. 15 years earlier, the song was a hit for Little Anthony & the Imperials.



The next track is another hit from 1965, this one courtesy of Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. Tracks of my Tears is just a beautiful song, and Linda infuses the pop nugget with just the right amount of heartache.



Before Ronstadt became a household name herself, she often played with other California acts, including The Eagles. She also toured with The Doors, Neil Young, and Jackson Browne, among many of the top music acts of the time. It is only natural she would cover Desperado, a song she often sang backup on with the Eagles.

Good Night by Linda Ronstadt

One of my favorite female vocalists of all time, Linda Ronstadt recorded the gorgeous Lennon/McCartney song Good Night on her 1996 album, Dedicated To The One I Love, a collection of pop music sung in the style of lullabies for babies. It is just so darned sweet and beautiful, I find it hard to resist.

Sunday Morning with Linda & the Muppets

Linda Ronstadt on the Muppet Show, and with Jim Henson.

Some videos are too priceless. There is the gorgeous voice singing a beautiful song, backed up by a group of green felt frogs and a band of Muppets. Exceptional I tell you, and certainly a religious experience for your Sunday morning. Here is Linda singing Blue Bayou.

Mood Music - A Musical Bender

OK, I am just really distracted this week, my mind is drifting. For starters, my allergies are going nuts. It is insane, but as I get older, they seem to be getting worse. Isn't that the opposite way it is supposed to happen? My sinuses are like some crazed, phlegm-making machine, causing me to wake up with crusty eyes every morning. It is putting me on quite an odd [non]sleep pattern. This needs to stop. So I am identifying with Jackson Browne, singing Doctor My Eyes.



Yesterday afternoon, heard some rather big news from a friend. He came out of the closet, and announced he recently learned he was HIV Positive. Now, when a man of my age hears that news, it just ain't pretty for a bit. I moved to NYC in the Spring of 1983, when coverage of the condition was garnering attention. I had several friends during my time in the city who were diagnosed, and in those days, it was, in many ways, a death sentence. Thankfully, that is no longer the case, but my mind instantly flashes back to the far too many funerals I attended for a man in his 20s. I think of Kevin, Derry, Terry, Roseanne, Patrick, and really, far too many to start listing. The first reaction, almost involuntary, is to panic. It reminds me of putting on The Communards album and playing For A Friend far too often, crying way too much. It just really touched me so much. It is still my 'go-to' song, at least in this situation.



Another friend is having trouble in her relationship, and while I am glad to be a shoulder to cry on, there are just so many times I just want to tell her that Linda Ronstadt said it best when she sang to that man, You're No Good.



How all these things seem to be hitting for me at the moment, I can't say. To be fair, two of the three events aren't about me, save for the emotional baggage I bring to the process of listening. No man is being an jerk, and my health, save the allergies, is good. But just as the above brought out my emotions and made me express them through songs, the culmination of all this brought me to another place, the one where I go all hippie-commune on my own ass, and start channeling Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians, hearing Mrs. Paul Simon singing What I Am, with that Boho-chic style that was prevalent in 1988.



So, if you made it all the way to here, I hope you figured out I am good, happy with my life, and hoping to be able to be there for my friends. And it reminds me that indeed, the iPod in my head keeps feeding songs into my ears. You see, what I post on hear is really the Soundtrack to my Day.

New Member & the Heat

The latest member of the Soundtrack family is Bessy Ninoska, a Virgo with somewhat eclectic taste in music as well as her own blog. You can check out RetroDiscoChic here. As my Spanish is somewhat non-existent, I can't really tell you much about the blog, so you should go and check it out yourself.

While I usually offer a video to welcome the new followers, I couldn't resist posting the following due to the second day of 100 degree (F) weather on the East Coast of the US. So here is Linda Ronstadt singing Heatwave.

Sunday Morning with Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram

In 1986, Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment [Steven Spielberg's production company] released the animated feature An American Tail. The theme song was sung by Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram, whose voices blended beautifully. So, I thought, why not run it as a song to ease into the day on Sunday?

Sunday Worship - Hobo's Meditation

If there are angels singing in heaven, I am betting they have voices that sound a lot like Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt. Almost 20 years ago, these amazing ladies were brought together for the Trio project.