Five Linda Ronstadt collaborations that will be in the history books
Sometimes, an image is all you need to awaken a range of sounds. When you see the iconic rock ‘n’ roll look of Linda Ronstadt, you don’t just see a classic rock look; you hear her voice and the iconic tracks that have stood the test of time and cemented themselves in the musical world for generations. She is called the ‘First Lady of Rock’ for a reason; it’s a name that has been well and truly earned.
To limit her to just rock ‘n’ roll would be an insult, though. There is much more to Ronstandt than just the one genre of music. In fact, what sets her apart from so many other vocalists is her ability to step into other genres and wear them like they were built around her. Whether it’s rock, pop or country, she sounds at home with every lyric.
That ability did not come from simply mimicking different styles, but from understanding what made each one resonate. Ronstadt approached every genre with a kind of respect that went beyond surface-level interpretation, finding the emotional core of a song and building her performance around it. It meant that even when she moved between vastly different sounds, there was always a consistency in the way she delivered them, grounded in feeling rather than technique alone.
It also gave her a rare kind of flexibility as a collaborator. Instead of imposing a singular identity onto every track, she was able to adapt to the artists around her, elevating their work while still leaving a clear imprint of her own voice. That balance made her an ideal creative partner, someone who could move seamlessly between projects without ever feeling out of place, no matter the setting.
Because of her adaptability as an artist, Linda Ronstadt collaborated with a wide range of people. Artists in many different genres were always happy to work with her, and they produced a huge variety of songs together. There are so many collaborations to immerse yourself in when it comes to Ronstadt’s work that it can be difficult to know where to start.
Here, we will discuss some of the best collaborations that Ronstadt was involved in. There are no limits when it comes to styles of music, so get lost in the versatility of one of the best vocalists ever to pick up a microphone.
Linda Ronstadt’s greatest collaborations:
‘Lonely Boy’ – Andrew Gold
Ronstadt and Andrew Gold had an excellent working relationship prior to this collaboration. Gold played the keys in her band and helped her put together the chart-topping ‘You’re No Good’. A lot of people first became aware of Andrew Gold as the keyboardist in her band. As such, when Gold wanted to go solo, Ronstadt was happy to help.
Gold started his solo career with a bang. He asked Ronstadt for her help on one of the tracks he was working on, and she was more than happy to lend her voice. She ended up providing backing vocals for ‘Lonely Boy’, which ended up being one of his best-selling records. The track was in the top 10 and is still listened to by fans today.
‘Stay Away’ – Toto
Toto is a band that has never shied away from a hit song. The minute you mention their name, tracks such as ‘Africa’ come to mind. They have standout songs that seem to leap out of their discography and completely dominate any conversation about the band. This is a good thing for record sales, but it means a lot of tracks are often overlooked.
The same thing happens when you consider the band’s seventh studio album, The Seventh One, as most fans would direct you towards the semi-successful hit ‘Pamela’. While this is a good number, it overshadows ‘Stay Away’, which falls into the background of the album. If you give that song the time that it deserves, you will hear Ronstadt’s gorgeous vocals tucked away.
‘Rock Me On Water’ – Eagles
Many people call the Eagles the American Beatles, and it’s easy to see why. Not only did Eagles make chart-topping music, but they also made country rock mainstream and changed the musical landscape. However, while they may be the faces of such a movement, it couldn’t have happened were it not for Linda Ronstadt.
On her self-titled debut, Ronstadt laid the groundwork for what would eventually become country rock. On her cover of Jackson Browne’s ‘Rock Me on the Water’, she tapped into the heart and soul of the genre. Not to mention, the backing band she put together was made up of Glenn Frey, Bernie Leadon, Don Henley and Randy Meisner, who went on to become The Eagles.
‘Under African Skies’ – Paul Simon
Graceland was one of Paul Simon’s more ambitious projects. After becoming obsessed with the style of African music, he began to make an album that was centred around different forms of rhythm that weren’t as popular in Western music. In doing so, he made a diverse album that was far removed from anything he had done in the past.
Despite the new direction for Simon, however, it wasn’t difficult for Ronstadt to find a place on the record. She and Simon performed a duet on the track ‘Under African Skies’, one of the biggest highlights of the record.
‘Heart of Gold’ – Neil Young
Ronstadt will no doubt be disappointed with the reception of her debut album. It’s not that people didn’t like it; it was just a bit before its time, to the point that it never really took off. Despite having one of the earliest iterations of The Eagles present, the record never gained the traction that it deserved.
However, despite her album underperforming, Ronstadt still got a taste of early success, as just over a month after the release of her debut record, Neil Young released the chart-topping ‘Heart of Gold’. Ronstadt holds off on appearing until the end of the song, but when she enters, she does so in a dramatic fashion, which is utterly fantastic.
