Linda Ronstadt

Though she never married she was romantically linked with many famous personalities.

Her relationship with Jerry Brown, the then Governor of California and a Democratic Presidential candidate during the mid-seventies became a hot topic for global media.

Her relationship with the famous comedian Jim Carrey lasted for eight months during1983. Though she got engaged with filmmaker George Lucas during mid-eighties, the relationship never culminated into marriage.

She was born on July 15, 1946 to Gilbert Ronstadt and Ruth Mary (Copeman) Ronstadt. Her father was a wealthy merchant and her mother a homemaker.

She belonged to an influential family whose contributions in Arizona in the fields of commerce, wagon making, music and others were immense which are recorded in the library of ‘University of Arizona’.

She was brought up along with her siblings Peter, Michael J., and Gretchen in the family ranch. A musical atmosphere prevailed in her home since childhood with her father teaching Mexican songs to the children. She took interest in learning guitar possibly from her father who used to play guitar.

She attended the ‘Catalina High School’. Here, she met Bobby Kimmel, her senior and a local folk musician, who later shifted to Los Angeles. During this time she and her siblings Peter and Suzi used to perform gigs around Tucson tagging themselves as the ‘The Three Ronstadts’ and the ‘Union City Ramblers’ among others.

She joined the ‘University of Arizona’ in Tucson, but after a semester she dropped out to join Bobby in Los Angeles.

After joining Bobby in Los Angeles in December 1964, she teamed up with him and Kenny Edwards. They formed ‘Stone Poneys’, a folk-rock trio where she became the lead vocalist.

In 1966, they were signed by ‘Capitol Records’ and in 1967 their first two albums ‘The Stone Poneys’ and ‘Evergreen Vol. 2’ were released. ‘Evergreen Vol. 2’ garnered moderate success with only one hit song ‘Different Drum’. The trio parted ways prior to the release of their third album, ‘Linda Ronstadt, Stone Poneys and Friends, Vol. III’.

In 1969, her solo record ‘Hand Sown … Home Grown’ was released by ‘Capitol Records’. During the late 60s and the 70s she appeared as herself in several television shows including ‘It’s Happening’ (1968-69) ‘Cher’ (1975) and ‘Saturday Night Live’ (1977 onwards). She also lent her voice for several commercials.

In 1970s, she toured extensively with Neil Young, the ‘Doors’ and others. In 1971 she toured for a while with a backing band that included players like Randy Meisner, Glenn Frey, Don Henley and Bernie Leadon who later formed the ‘Eagles’.

She did not have much success even though some of her solo albums including ‘Silk Purse’ (1970) and ‘Different Drum (1974) - a compilation of her songs including few from the ‘Stone Poneys’, were released in the early 70s. Her first album with Asylum Records, ‘Don’t Cry Now’ (1973) was received well which later garnered a double platinum certification.