I first heard her with "Different Drum" when I was a kid. I loved her "Desperado" when I and my high school buddy were a singing duo, and we shared leads and harmony. That one was mine! I knew she was very good, but I underestimated her then and grew to appreciate her more as time passed and she continued to be amazing with a range of genres.
Linda also sang once or twice with a bluegrass band I've enjoyed, The Seldom Scene. She sang backup vocals on their 15th anniversary album in the late 1980s.
It may have been recorded earlier in her career. The Seldom Scene recorded a song titled "Through the Bottom of a Glass," (released in their "Old Train" album in 1974) and I believe I can hear her voice in the background.
Thank you for this marvelous exposé of "Blue Bayou"! Linda Ronstadt is a brilliant musician, and effectively captures "Blue Bayou" musically. Because you included Orbison's own recording, it was easy to compare their perfomances. In my opinion, Orbison's performance is in full voice, and has the melodic flow of a beautiful Italian opera. The full feeling is in Orvison's manly tenor performance with his excellent backup performers.
I played this recording for Tony last night, and he said, "Roy Orbison really 'owns' this song." And I agree! He was really at the top of his game for this Black & White Concert, and had every kind of great musician and singer, reworking the original arrangement to make it, too, fuller and more "operatic," as well. I went back last night and listened to Roy's first release of this song, I liked it. But it was a bit more upbeat, faster. Then I listened again to Linda's, and she had such a perfect voice and delivery, and she slowed the pace down. Brilliant. After that I listened to the Black & White version, and we had sheer perfection. I think it's fair to say that Linda was influenced by Roy, and he by her. And I believe, though I didn't find it, that there is a recording of them singing the song together. have to look for that.
Thanks, Deborah. I stray a little here to call attention to a great pop vocalist: Jo Stafford. She could sing any number of songs with mastery! She sang in a pre-1947 mode of popular standards not found In our day. You might call her the Queen of the Great Generation.
My parents were married (very young!) in 1952, and "their song" was Jo Stafford singing "You Belong to Me." So I was practically born listening to her music! In fact, after my mother's dementia had become very bad, I planned a grand 50th wedding anniversary for my parents, with as many of their big extended families as we could round up. My mother was easily confused in those days, so my dad drove her around town a little bit and entered the church parking lot from a different street. She was so surprised, and when they entered the hall, I had "You Belong to Me" playing on a big boom box. Cameras "flashed" and there was just a look of tremendous joy on my mother's face. I was streaming tears. She was entirely with us all that wonderful day, which she never forgot to the end of her life. And that was a miracle in itself, because she could no longer remember anything five minutes after it happened. Sigh and sigh again. And thanks to Jo Stafford, too!
As soon as I read the title, my brain was hearing Linda's voice.... Thanks for another great story of the singer behind the song. And behind the glasses.😎
I'm not sure that she had the very greatest voice, technically speaking, in a world which also includes Whitney Houston and Judy Garland. But oh my, Linda had such a WAY with the songs! "Some say the heart is just like a wheel....." "Sold my Smith and Wesson, went to meet my man...." And I might like her best of all in the trio with Dolly and Emmylou.
It's a tough call, and there are very great contenders, for sure. I like her clear-as-a-bell tones and yes, that delivery -- the "way." Judy Garland came out of a Vaudeville family, and she learned to "sell" a song, which she could do extremely well. It's hard for me to separate her voice from her actual "presence" when she sang, the delivery, as you can see when she sings AND dances "Get Happy," for example. That kind of entertainment style was gone from the popular scene before Whitney and Linda came along. But there is a vocal purity in Linda's voice that is hard to beat. Maybe I give her the nod partly because what she did was kind of at the end of the line for great popular singers in the 20th century. Junk music was on the way IN, and now we just have an assortment of admittedly trained singers who want to sing great music, but come off at best as poor imitations, despite their efforts. I root for the great music, but we just can't replicate it now, and the audience for it is shrinking because we have entire generatiions now with no musical grounding. Alas!
Today I was in a doctor's office, without my glasses, so all I could do was listen. The office was playing Nat King Cole, I think. "Unforgettable.". And I thought: No one sings like that now. Lord, have mercy.
And He does.
And I appreciate your appreciation of Senorita Ronstadt! Well said.
Jack, this is my go-to song to introduce Roy Orbison to anyone who hasn't heard him. You might (if you don't recall it) listen to Roy's original release of the song, and then Linda's, and then this one, in sequence. What I hear when I do that is his voice influencing hers, and then her absolutely drop-down-drag-out splendid version of it - influencing how he sang it later on. Love it! It's an amazing song.
I must confess to having quite the crush on Miss Ronstadt. It started around 1973 and was intensified by her performance in the 1983 film version of Gilbert & Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance. Her covers of Warren Zevon's Poor Poor Pitiful Me and of Love Has No Pride are unrivaled.
Gregg, of course I never had a crush on her! But I've said before her that I think hers was the female voice of the century in popular music. It don't get no better than that. I love her version of the standards with Nelson Riddle, and that was a real surprise when she recorded it. Later singers have tried to do the standards, but they don't rise to her musical standard, in my humble opinion. Just a brilliant and clear and expressive voice, with heart. It is tragic that she lost her voice to Parkinsons.
So happy for the mention of Linda Ronstadt. Sadly her career ended many years ago due to a rare condition akin to Parkinson’s. I recommend the documentary “The Sound of her Voice” to fully appreciate the scope of her vocal talent.
Monica, I thought is WAS Parkinson's, so thank you for that recommendation. I want to watch the documentary now. I just said to Denver above that it is really tragic that she lost her voice. I have long considered her the best female vocalist of the 20th century.
Our 20yo was just making his sister listen to Ronstadt’s Blue Bayou yesterday. They have recently discovered her music. I do love her version of this song—but also just love Orbison’s voice in whatever he sings.
Each time PBS re-televises "Black and White Night" it's always great to rehear not only Roy Orbison, but also the reprise of a young Bruce Springsteen's guitar backup for and vocal duet with Roy. And, almost effaced in this video, are rhythmic vocals from Bonnie Raitt and k.d. lang.
Just listened to Linda’s 1977 performance, Simple Man, Simple Dreams. I am destroyed, and you are right.🥳
Glory to God!
Someone to Lay Down Beside Me. I loved her decades ago, and thought she was passe.
So wrong I was! Thank you for giving me back this joy.❤️
GLORY to God!
I first heard her with "Different Drum" when I was a kid. I loved her "Desperado" when I and my high school buddy were a singing duo, and we shared leads and harmony. That one was mine! I knew she was very good, but I underestimated her then and grew to appreciate her more as time passed and she continued to be amazing with a range of genres.
What fun those duos must have been! Harmony is such joy. Thanks for putting all these 'singing thoughts' in my mind.
Linda also sang once or twice with a bluegrass band I've enjoyed, The Seldom Scene. She sang backup vocals on their 15th anniversary album in the late 1980s.
That gives me something to look for! I can believe she enjoyed bluegrass, too.
It may have been recorded earlier in her career. The Seldom Scene recorded a song titled "Through the Bottom of a Glass," (released in their "Old Train" album in 1974) and I believe I can hear her voice in the background.
I'd love to hear it. Will search when I am not rushed for time. Thank you!
Thank you for this marvelous exposé of "Blue Bayou"! Linda Ronstadt is a brilliant musician, and effectively captures "Blue Bayou" musically. Because you included Orbison's own recording, it was easy to compare their perfomances. In my opinion, Orbison's performance is in full voice, and has the melodic flow of a beautiful Italian opera. The full feeling is in Orvison's manly tenor performance with his excellent backup performers.
Charles
I played this recording for Tony last night, and he said, "Roy Orbison really 'owns' this song." And I agree! He was really at the top of his game for this Black & White Concert, and had every kind of great musician and singer, reworking the original arrangement to make it, too, fuller and more "operatic," as well. I went back last night and listened to Roy's first release of this song, I liked it. But it was a bit more upbeat, faster. Then I listened again to Linda's, and she had such a perfect voice and delivery, and she slowed the pace down. Brilliant. After that I listened to the Black & White version, and we had sheer perfection. I think it's fair to say that Linda was influenced by Roy, and he by her. And I believe, though I didn't find it, that there is a recording of them singing the song together. have to look for that.
Thanks, Deborah. I stray a little here to call attention to a great pop vocalist: Jo Stafford. She could sing any number of songs with mastery! She sang in a pre-1947 mode of popular standards not found In our day. You might call her the Queen of the Great Generation.
I love Jo Stafford! I covered an old song which she recorded with another very fine singer, Gordon MacRae. You can read it here .. https://anthonyesolen.substack.com/p/loves-old-sweet-song-b09?utm_source=publication-search
My parents were married (very young!) in 1952, and "their song" was Jo Stafford singing "You Belong to Me." So I was practically born listening to her music! In fact, after my mother's dementia had become very bad, I planned a grand 50th wedding anniversary for my parents, with as many of their big extended families as we could round up. My mother was easily confused in those days, so my dad drove her around town a little bit and entered the church parking lot from a different street. She was so surprised, and when they entered the hall, I had "You Belong to Me" playing on a big boom box. Cameras "flashed" and there was just a look of tremendous joy on my mother's face. I was streaming tears. She was entirely with us all that wonderful day, which she never forgot to the end of her life. And that was a miracle in itself, because she could no longer remember anything five minutes after it happened. Sigh and sigh again. And thanks to Jo Stafford, too!
As soon as I read the title, my brain was hearing Linda's voice.... Thanks for another great story of the singer behind the song. And behind the glasses.😎
I call hers the best female voice in 20th century popular music, hands down.
I'm glad you enjoyed the essay, too. This was one that just came together, happily! I love writing about these great talents and their music.
I'm not sure that she had the very greatest voice, technically speaking, in a world which also includes Whitney Houston and Judy Garland. But oh my, Linda had such a WAY with the songs! "Some say the heart is just like a wheel....." "Sold my Smith and Wesson, went to meet my man...." And I might like her best of all in the trio with Dolly and Emmylou.
The amazing power of voices raised in song!🥰
It's a tough call, and there are very great contenders, for sure. I like her clear-as-a-bell tones and yes, that delivery -- the "way." Judy Garland came out of a Vaudeville family, and she learned to "sell" a song, which she could do extremely well. It's hard for me to separate her voice from her actual "presence" when she sang, the delivery, as you can see when she sings AND dances "Get Happy," for example. That kind of entertainment style was gone from the popular scene before Whitney and Linda came along. But there is a vocal purity in Linda's voice that is hard to beat. Maybe I give her the nod partly because what she did was kind of at the end of the line for great popular singers in the 20th century. Junk music was on the way IN, and now we just have an assortment of admittedly trained singers who want to sing great music, but come off at best as poor imitations, despite their efforts. I root for the great music, but we just can't replicate it now, and the audience for it is shrinking because we have entire generatiions now with no musical grounding. Alas!
Today I was in a doctor's office, without my glasses, so all I could do was listen. The office was playing Nat King Cole, I think. "Unforgettable.". And I thought: No one sings like that now. Lord, have mercy.
And He does.
And I appreciate your appreciation of Senorita Ronstadt! Well said.
You have me listening to more Ronstadt, on-line. I’d forgotten the size of her talent. And… Magnum Mysterium? https://youtu.be/qbK_BfAEnyE?s
Well, Debra, how wonderful. Paul and John had to yank Roy from the stage ??
The Ronstadt version is on my playlist and I much prefer it.
I find it haunting.
Reverie invariably follows each playing.
Jack, this is my go-to song to introduce Roy Orbison to anyone who hasn't heard him. You might (if you don't recall it) listen to Roy's original release of the song, and then Linda's, and then this one, in sequence. What I hear when I do that is his voice influencing hers, and then her absolutely drop-down-drag-out splendid version of it - influencing how he sang it later on. Love it! It's an amazing song.
I must confess to having quite the crush on Miss Ronstadt. It started around 1973 and was intensified by her performance in the 1983 film version of Gilbert & Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance. Her covers of Warren Zevon's Poor Poor Pitiful Me and of Love Has No Pride are unrivaled.
Gregg, of course I never had a crush on her! But I've said before her that I think hers was the female voice of the century in popular music. It don't get no better than that. I love her version of the standards with Nelson Riddle, and that was a real surprise when she recorded it. Later singers have tried to do the standards, but they don't rise to her musical standard, in my humble opinion. Just a brilliant and clear and expressive voice, with heart. It is tragic that she lost her voice to Parkinsons.
So happy for the mention of Linda Ronstadt. Sadly her career ended many years ago due to a rare condition akin to Parkinson’s. I recommend the documentary “The Sound of her Voice” to fully appreciate the scope of her vocal talent.
Monica, I thought is WAS Parkinson's, so thank you for that recommendation. I want to watch the documentary now. I just said to Denver above that it is really tragic that she lost her voice. I have long considered her the best female vocalist of the 20th century.
Our 20yo was just making his sister listen to Ronstadt’s Blue Bayou yesterday. They have recently discovered her music. I do love her version of this song—but also just love Orbison’s voice in whatever he sings.
Me, too!
Each time PBS re-televises "Black and White Night" it's always great to rehear not only Roy Orbison, but also the reprise of a young Bruce Springsteen's guitar backup for and vocal duet with Roy. And, almost effaced in this video, are rhythmic vocals from Bonnie Raitt and k.d. lang.
They had a regular gathering of the clan with that concert, and the outcome is for the ages!
Very good reading! A lot of interesting connections there and a surprise to read that Roy Orbison wasn’t blind!
I had a great time doing this essay, let me tell you. As I always say, so many stories; so little time!