Today we celebrate 79 magical, musical, magnificent years of Linda Maria Ronstadt — the voice that could soar from rock arenas to opera houses, mariachi fiestas to lullaby dreams. In her honor, here are 79 fun and whimsical facts about the First Lady of Rock, the Queen of Crossover, and the Patron Saint of Perfect Harmony.
Linda was born on July 15, 1946, in sunny Tucson, Arizona.
Her family had a 10-acre ranch with cows, chickens, and harmonies.
As a kid, she sang Mexican folk songs and Broadway tunes in the same breath.
Her dad played boogie-woogie on the piano — he was cool like that.
Linda’s mom loved Gilbert & Sullivan and passed on the drama gene.
Her great-grandfather made wagons. Her other grandpa invented the rubber ice cube tray.
At 14, she formed a band with her siblings called The Union City Ramblers.
She dropped out of the University of Arizona to chase rock dreams in L.A.
Linda’s big break? Singing “Different Drum” with the Stone Poneys.
That song was written by Monkee Michael Nesmith. Monkey business indeed.
Her first solo album was called Hand Sown…Home Grown.
Critics call it the first alt-country album by a woman.
In the early ’70s, she toured with The Doors and hung with Neil Young.
Linda helped form the Eagles. Yes, that Eagles.
She had a pet duck named Conrad. 🦆
Her 1974 album Heart Like a Wheel hit #1 on the Billboard 200.
“You’re No Good” became her first and only #1 single.
She was the first female rock star to sell out arenas.
Rolling Stone put her on the cover six times — Annie Leibovitz took the most iconic one.
Time magazine called her “Torchy Rock” and she hated that headline.
She sang barefoot on stage because she wanted to feel grounded.
Her stage outfits included roller skates and short shorts — iconic.
She turned “Blue Bayou” into a global weepy wonder.
She duetted with Aaron Neville, James Ingram, and Homer Simpson.
Linda’s version of “When Will I Be Loved” was better than the Everlys. (Sorry, boys.)
She recorded an entire album of lullabies — and it won a Grammy.
She once sang “Tumbling Dice” because Mick Jagger told her to.
She could sing country, rock, opera, jazz, and Spanish — sometimes all in one show.
Linda was the original “Trio” member with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris.
Their harmonies were so good, they got a star on the Walk of Fame.
Her 1983 album What’s New revived the Great American Songbook.
She recorded it with legendary arranger Nelson Riddle.
She sang at Carnegie Hall, Radio City, and her backyard.
Canciones de Mi Padre became the best-selling non-English album in U.S. history.
She won a Grammy for it — her Spanish is smoother than flan.
Linda once performed opera in The Pirates of Penzance and earned a Tony nod.
She sang “Poor Wandering One” like a soprano angel.
Her albums have gone gold, platinum, and multiplatinum so many times, we’ve lost count.
She’s collaborated with Philip Glass, Frank Zappa, and Flaco Jiménez.
She sang with Paul Simon on Graceland. “Take this child, Lord, from Tucson…”
Her 1989 duet “Don’t Know Much” with Aaron Neville hit #2 on Billboard.
She sang for the Dodgers at the World Series in 1977.
She’s been nominated for 27 Grammy Awards.
She won 11 Grammys. One for each octave she seems to have.
She’s in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — finally inducted in 2014.
Her live shows often featured cowboy boots and string sections.
She voiced herself in The Simpsons. Homer was a fan.
She helped popularize artists like Warren Zevon and Elvis Costello.
She once appeared on Sesame Street and sang to a muppet.
Linda has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame… and shared one with her Trio sisters.
She recorded a Cajun-influenced album with Ann Savoy called Adieu False Heart.
Her autobiography is called Simple Dreams. It’s dreamy.
She once said, “Music is meant to lighten your load.”
Linda called Ella Fitzgerald and Maria Callas her guiding lights.
Her version of “Desperado” is pure heartbreak in three minutes.
She sang in 6/8 time like it was second nature.
She sang for the Obamas. Twice.
She refused to lip-sync, ever.
She once sang on The Johnny Cash Show.
She dated California governor Jerry Brown — before he was governor. Twice.
Her greatest hits album sold over 7 million copies in the U.S.
Her music helped define the soundtrack of the 1970s.
She once said her concerts were like “church with beer.”
She sang harmony so well, she made Neil Young cry.
She appeared in the film FM — as herself.
She learned songs phonetically in French and Italian just to sing them right.
In the ‘90s, she recorded lullabies, country, and Afro-Cuban music.
She toured Japan, Australia, and the world — often with a mariachi band.
She loved Tucson so much, they named a music hall after her.
She was a Kennedy Center honoree in 2019.
She once said: “I don’t sing unless I believe it.”
Her music has been covered by everyone from Trisha Yearwood to Sarah Brightman.
She made stage fright seem charming.
Linda never wrote many songs — but interpreted like nobody else.
Her voice was described as “the most sterling pipes of her generation.”
She recorded with the Chieftains and sang in Irish Gaelic.
She’s sold over 100 million albums worldwide.
Her 1976 album cover featured her in a pigpen. Yes, really.
She changed music forever just by being Linda.