Happy birthday, Linda

Linda Ronstadt turns 64 today — she was born on this day in 1946 in Tucson.

She began as a country/pop crossover singer, but has, over her career, dipped into many streams, doing big band standards (with the late Nelson Riddle), Latin standards, soul-pop (with Aaron Neville), punk (covering Elvis Costello and others), Gilbert and Sullivan, mariachi and tejano, and other styles. The variety in her music has been something that’s kept me interested over the many years of her career.

Ronstadt’s sung many songs of two of my favourite songwriters, Karla Bonoff and Warren Zevon. She’s collaborated with pretty much everyone in the music business. In her personal life, she’s noted for her relationship with former California governor (and now attorney general) Jerry Brown, and her engagement to movie producer and director George Lucas... but she’s never married. She’s adopted two children, a boy and a girl, both teenagers now. She’s an activist for such causes as gay rights and environmental issues, and is an advocate for immigrants and for the arts.

Happy birthday, Linda, and thanks for entertaining me since I was your son’s age.