As the induction of this year's class of Rock n Rock Hall of Fame members quickly approaches, I keep reading lists on the big omissions in the HoF, and Linda Ronstadt is always on the list, with the point being made on how many of her contemporaries are now in the Hall--Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, CSNY, and of course, Eagles. Speculation seems to be that maybe next year is her year, because her autobiography comes out this coming September, and that will get her name and legacy out there again...
After that long and wandering intro, it just got me to wondering about what new details we might learn about the early days of Glenn, Don and the soon-to-be-formed Eagles in the book. She and Glenn seem to have gotten along for the majority of the decade--he guested on a few of her albums, and they played a few benefits/concerts together during the decade. The only overt quote I can find from her RE: Glenn comes from a 1975 Rolling Stones Interview with the infamous Ben Fong-Torres:
Quote:
Over the course of her solo career, Linda Ronstadt has been understandably wary about her backup groups. For one thing, she felt inadequate- she didn't know how to talk in musical terms, she said and couldn't give effective orders. For another: "Backing up a girl wasn't cool at all. They didn't want to do that. They wanted to be rock & rollers and have this sexual identity they get by being up onstage with their guitars."
The extreme example occurred in 1972, when she hired Glenn Frey and Don Henley, now Eagles. "I knew Glenn was a temporary thing," she said. "I knew he was going to be a star the minute I met him, he was such a hot shot. I loved him. When Glenn met Don, they wanted to form a band right away."
I wish more footage existed of them all touring in the early days. Those clips in the Showtime doc don't seem to be online, but there are a few on DailyMotion, post-Eagles formation, including this one--"Favorite Girl Singer"--no need to single out her gender, Glenn, it's the Women's Lib era: :) ETA: I can't figure out how to embed a video here, so here's the link.
By the By--has anyone ever seen these images un-watermarked? When the Eagles performed with Linda and Jackson Browne, at that Jerry Brown event, maybe? I just love the smile on his face--and the plaid shirt!
03-29-2013, 10:32 PM
sodascouts
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
I haven't seen those unwatermarked, but here's a couple more photos from that concert/backstage:
Thanks for the pics and suggestions, Soda! God, how I wish there was video floating about of he and Linda going "Kate"...
I should add that GF was quite compliemntary of Linda during the "After Hours" press junkets, saying Linda and Nelson Riddle's early 80s throwback cover albums were a touchstone for him when doing the project. I swear I read one where he said he sent her a copy and received a "lovely" note back from her, but I can't seem to find the interview....
04-08-2013, 02:57 AM
Thirsty&Hot
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
Thanks for starting this thread :)
I wasn't aware that she had a biography coming out!
maybe more footage will be made available to us too..hopefully!
04-08-2013, 11:40 AM
Ive always been a dreamer
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
Just another little piece of trivia - Glenn has also said that Linda was the one that gave him the nickname of "Teen King" back in the day. :thumbsup:
04-08-2013, 01:59 PM
Brooke
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
I would like to read her biography. Have to check that out!
04-08-2013, 02:20 PM
Outlawman13
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
I would love to read that biography as well. I've always loved Linda.
04-08-2013, 03:38 PM
Outlawman13
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
I listened to those songs (that you posted Nancy) and love them. Especially Get Up Kate.
04-08-2013, 04:13 PM
AEW21
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
Unless it gets pushed back, I'm pretty sure it's slated to be published in September. Hopefully, she'll get out there and promote it and belt a few out. I now ahe's semi-retired, but it would be lovely to hear her tear through her varied catalog again. And maybe an increased presence out and about would help her finally get into the Rock n Roll Hall. When you think of all she accomplished in the 70s, sales-wise and song-wise, and how respected she is, it's a crime she hasn't gotten her due.
I can't think of a single interview I've read for After Hours where Glenn didn't mention her Nelson Riddle albums as a benchmark of the "contemporary take on standards" genre. Nice to still see the bond there.
And that she coined Teen King--HA! Oh, what she must have witnessed on those early tours, and beyond... (Though it is wrong I always sort of hoped there had been a fling/crush between them? I like envisioning them trading off verses in "Kate" during those early years and either being madly enamored of each other, or really, really pissed off at the other? Like on the TV show, "Nashville?" I know, I'm a silly girl.) :)
04-09-2013, 10:55 PM
Thirsty&Hot
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
you're not the only one who thinks there may have been something! and even if there wasn't something physical...there was something
Well although I don't know of any evidence of anything between Glenn and Linda, it's certainly not impossible. She did have a relationship with JD Souther in the early 70's and, of course, during the latter part of the decade, she was in a relationship with the then (and current) governor of California, Jerry Brown.
04-10-2013, 01:21 AM
AEW21
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
Even if there was nothing romantic (but please, Lord, let there have been playful flirting!!) ;), I like that there was a lasting bond, both personal and professional, that lasted that entire decade. They toured a lot together, he guested in various capacities on many of her albums--there was a respect, and hopefully, at least, a friendly affection there, too. I've read a few interview share she said she had issues with many past backing band members because they didn't like backing "a girl." While Glenn and Don did indeed leave, I don't think it was because they resented her, her gender, and her power. They outgrew the gig and on all accounts, it was an ambicable split.
Rockers make it or break it on the road, and on theN road is where Linda went. It is a dangerous place to be. "I know when I'm on the road for a long time I adopt male attitudes, real rock-'n'-roll attitudes," she says. "I come back home talking like a trucker. I'm not as nice to people."
Then, as now, she traveled with her band, usually as the only woman. Always there are sexual problems. She tries, not entirely successfully, to stay clear of sexual entanglements with her sidemen ("Though if there's another act traveling with us, it can get real interesting").
Well, he was her ine-time sideman AND a co-headliner, so who knows? ;)
04-12-2013, 02:09 AM
AEW21
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
From an interview with Oui(?), from what, 81 or 82:
Quote:
OUI: Would you ever live in New York?
Frey: Are you nuts?* No, I've never had any desire to go East, young man.* I wanted to go West.* That was where the sun was setting; it seemed to be where the party was.* But I love coming to New York.* I have a ball every time.* Are you kidding? I got restaurants I love.* Last year I went and saw Linda [Ronstadt] in Pirates of Penzance.* I saw Tim Curry in Amadeus. I don't just walk around in blue jeans and T-shirts and drink beer all the time.
Cool quote! Horace Greely said "go west, young man." hehe I have lived East my whole life and I too want to move West one day. "The West is the best." - Jim Morrison
04-12-2013, 11:07 PM
Outlawman13
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
The west is pretty awesome and I love that Jim Morrison quote. LOL. You will need to go down there soon. LOL I love what Glenn said in that quote "Are you nuts?" LOL.
04-13-2013, 02:10 PM
Ive always been a dreamer
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
That is funny - I also think it's interesting that Glenn's daughter chose to go east to NYU after growing up in L.A. and now lives in NYC.
Curious to know how many times they performed on a double/co-headling bill with her over the decade--anyone have any idea? An old Randy Meisner website has half-filled-in concert listings from Randy's time in the band only, and it lists 15 co-concerts with Linda from 72-77. But it's not completely updated, and only Randy's tenure, so I'm guessing there's more...
Must have been a trip for all involved--did she get to invite people to the 3E parties, too? ;) (I'm guessing her autobio might have mentions of her touring life with all these frisky males over the years.)
Also, didn't she co-headline with them and Jackson Browne at that New Year's Eve Millennium Concert? I can can never find any images or reviews from that night--surely all three must have shared the stage together that night...?
04-15-2013, 03:45 PM
Brooke
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
Steal for sure! :cool:
04-15-2013, 03:49 PM
GlennLover
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
Quote:
Originally Posted by AEW21
Also, didn't she co-headline with them and Jackson Browne at that New Year's Eve Millennium Concert? I can can never find any images or reviews from that night--surely all three must have shared the stage together that night...?
I read somewhere that they performed at that concert, but I have never seen or heard anything else that would confirm this.
The Eagles were the headliners at the Millennium shows as that article states. Browne & Ronstadt were 'special guests' which as I have said elsewhere for me means 'opening acts'. As far as I am aware the acts did not perform together.
The Eagles were the headliners at the Millennium shows as that article states. Browne & Ronstadt were 'special guests' which as I have said elsewhere for me means 'opening acts'. As far as I am aware the acts did not perform together.
If that's true, what a wasted opportunity. Considering all the times they performed together back in the day, I bet a lot of the audience hoped to see them come together for at least one song.
In the mythic "Missing Videos of YouTube Perfomances that Eagles II Took Down," I always wish the one where the Eagles, Jackson and Linda play "Take It Easy" together was still up. Think it was from a '74 show, the Don Kirschner show, though I think they performed it together several times at different shows. Linda on guitar!!
While the material comes from close to home, Frey was also inspired by the three jazz/pop albums Linda Ronstadt cut with late bandleader Nelson Riddle in the mid-80s.
He sent a copy of After Hours to Ronstadt, who replied with a note telling Frey she loved the record, in particular the cover of Newman's Same Girl. "Only Randy Newman could write a song about a young junkie hooker and her pimp and turn it into a tearjerker," Frey laughs.
And then I started listening to more of this music the longer I stayed out in California and I loved the records that Linda Ronstadt made with Nelson Riddle back in the eighties, she made three albums with him, and they were just nearly perfect record.
Linda was a long time friend and I played in her band and then she helped me and Don find the other guys to play in The Eagles, so for three or four years we were very close. So I followed her career and she departed from making pop records and did some things that I thought were very brave and art driven, but with the Nelson Riddle records she really got me into those songs again.
04-17-2013, 03:50 AM
Glennsallnighter
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
Cute articles AEW! Thanks for posting them.
04-17-2013, 09:03 PM
Thirsty&Hot
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
Quote:
Originally Posted by AEW21
If that's true, what a wasted opportunity. Considering all the times they performed together back in the day, I bet a lot of the audience hoped to see them come together for at least one song.
In the mythic "Missing Videos of YouTube Perfomances that Eagles II Took Down," I always wish the one where the Eagles, Jackson and Linda play "Take It Easy" together was still up. Think it was from a '74 show, the Don Kirschner show, though I think they performed it together several times at different shows. Linda on guitar!!
You can tell I have Glenn/Linda on the brain that whenever I hear "Rescue Me" on the radio, that I wish it was their version! ;)
Thirsty & Hot--thanks for the link--loved seeing (most of) the entire concert. Wonder if for Japanese TV that they cut out banter/ intros, and trimmed other songs out... Some of my kinda/sorta Glenn/Linda moments are cut out--when he introduces her; when she looks at him to make sure he's coming in for the "Silver Threads..." chorus, and when she tuns and smiles at him at the end of "Desperado." (Though you can see them in the videos on Daily Motion...)
Not sure about Linda and Jackson's added on parts in Take It Easy--Would have preferred they each took a line or chorus maybe, or just beefed up the harmonies--the random "Take It Easy!" don't do it for me. ;). Do enjoy how Glenn is teasing them at the end of the sing, though. Cute.
04-22-2013, 11:06 PM
sodascouts
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
Agreed about TIE "modification" - seems like they could have been a bit more creative in how they incorporated Jackson and Linda!
04-23-2013, 11:58 PM
AEW21
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
I agree--it's sort of like it was thrown together at the last minute. Love the motion of them all doing that song together, but it somehow doesn't gel for me. But like seeing them on stage together.
I think Glenn may have referenced Linda in a majority of the interviews he did for "After Hours." This one is cool because he talks about each song one by one in the slide show; Linda's mention is in the intro:
Quote:
Many of the songs on After Hours were played in Frey's house when he was growing up. The record is dedicated to his parents, both of whom are still alive, he happily reports ("God bless 'em"), and are fans of the new disc. “I’ve always loved this music and wanted to do something like this," Frey says, "probably since Linda Ronstadt did those records with Nelson Riddle in the ‘80s. Those albums are incredible – the arrangements are perfect, and Linda’s voice is exquisite. It’s taken me some years to get around to it, but I finally got busy and here we are."
And this isn't Glenn/Linda-specific, but it's about the Eagles and that time as a whole, and the sexy appeal of the singer-songwriter "troubadour"
"The songs that grew out of that period, 'Desperado, 'Don't Cry Now,' 'I Believe in You,' they all had an incredible yearning quality to them...."
"Really. Life was strange then," she says. "I was on the road all the time and I never knew where my toothbrush was and I'd have a friend for a week and then I'd never see them again because I'd be in a different part of the world. But more than anything, those songs of Neil Young have that quality to them. Like 'I Believe in You.' Randy Newman thinks Neil's one of the greatest American songwriters. His songs are hard to sing sometimes, but he really knows how to structure the chords. God, what a singer too. He's got it. I love Neil."
I think she still loves all those desperadoes in one way or another. Certainly she gets most rhapsodic when she's talking about them and their music.
"I knew a lot of guys like that around the Troubadour," she says. "They'd set up these impossible romantic ideals for themselves, and there was this kind of loner aspect to them. They were given to great striving for personal achievement, and there was something very romantic and poetic that I saw. My pals in the Eagles and J.D. Souther and Jackson Browne, they all were the desperadoes."
05-13-2013, 12:09 AM
AEW21
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
Long time, no post...
The doc makes it sound as if John Boylan, Linda's one-time manager, was the one who approached Glenn to join Linda's backing band, but in that book "Hotel California" and a recent JD Souther interview, make it sound as if it was in fact JD and Linda who asked Glenn on a night out to dinner...
Some of your most well-known songs were written for the Eagles. You and Glenn Frey were longtime musical partners before he co-founded the band — is that what led to you writing with those guys?
A.
Yeah. I met Don [Henley] through Glenn. Linda was my girlfriend then and she was always assembling odd combinations of people to back her, including me sometimes. Glenn and Don hit it off like a house afire — they’re both very ambitious, very talented guys. And they had a vision for a larger band. When Glenn and I broke up our little duo I just wanted to do what Jackson [Browne] was doing: I wanted to stay home by myself and write songs and get better at it. Linda was touring sporadically and she needed a backup band. One night we were all at a health food place in L.A. called the Nucleus Nuance – is that a ’70s name or what? I can remember being there with Linda and Glenn and trying to talk him into going on the road with her and putting a band together. It would solve everybody’s problems at once. And that’s the way it worked.
And this is Don, not Glenn, but I figured there can't be a "Linda and ...' in every guy's thread, so we'll shoehorn it in here. Sweet what good, close friends they all were for awhile...
RONSTADT: Well, it's hard to go to the market and buy chicken, but I'm glad people think I'm cool and I understand a little of what the fame thing does to you. Take the Eagles, who have been my friends through the years. If I don't see them for six months or so, I begin to think of them as stars. I'll think about calling them, and then I'll think, Oh, they're so busy, they're such big stars, they don't want to hear from me. I called Don Henley the other day and he was so sweet. But we had this very businesslike conversation; I hadn't talked to him in months and I was kind of nervous and he responded in a businesslike way. He called back and he said, "What was that all about? How have you been?" And he came over with a bag of figs and we had a great time. I mean, the last people who should be falling for one another's press hypes are us.
I'd like to share figs with Don and Linda. Glenn can come, too ;)
05-13-2013, 05:51 AM
sodascouts
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
Everybody wants to take credit for starting the Eagles, eh? lol
I think JD turned Linda on to Glenn and vice versa, and then after Glenn met Don the idea of the band came up organically.
05-13-2013, 10:14 PM
Prettymaid
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
I don't really give a fig how it all started! I'm just glad it did!
05-14-2013, 12:58 AM
AEW21
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
Very impressed by your "fig" callback. Well played, my friend, well played. :thumbsup:
06-17-2013, 10:02 PM
AEW21
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
Many moons, no post.
I had forgotten the Linda mentions in Eliot's book--mostly because it's a rather shitty book ;), but he does shed a lot of light on the loyalty and bonds between the Eagles and Linda. I'll have to look thru my copy and see that else I can find. From Tumblr:
Quote:
From a Linda Interview in 1978, reprinted in Marc Eliot’s “To The Limit, Untold Stories of the Eagles,” pg. 177:
One warm winter day in L.A., Glenn Frey was bombing around with the top down and Linda Ronstadt by his side. She loved to drive with him, anywhere and anytime, but especially on warm afternoons like this one. As usual, he was feeding the tape deck with custom-made cassettes of great rock and roll. “Glenn Frey is the best single source of material for singers. He’s got stacks and stacks of cassettes he’s made of all these different things. That afternoon I looked at him and went, ‘Remember when we used to sit around The Troubadour bar and go, Oh, it’s so horrible and I can’t get a record deal?’ We were so broke and so miserable and we’d feel sorry for ourselves and we were so precious about it. Then, all of a sudden, I looked at him and I went ‘Boy, life’s really tough. We’re going off to ski [in Colorado] with all this money in our pockets, we’re going to have a good time, and we’ve got great music on the tape player.’ Just then ‘Back in the USA’ came on and I went, ‘God, that would be a great song to sing. I think I’ll do that one.’”
06-17-2013, 11:47 PM
cbecrad
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
Oh. that. is. AWESOME! Don't have that book so thanks for posting.
What I wouldn't give to have been in the back seat.
06-18-2013, 01:59 AM
sodascouts
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
What a nice little story! I love hearing about moments like that.
06-18-2013, 02:28 AM
AEW21
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
I sorta thought they fell away from each other in the mid-70s, as both parties became astronomically famous and busy, so nice to see they were still bumming about in '78 yet. I like envisioning them just driving together all afternoon, listening to the golden oldies...flirting, whatever. ;)
(And I just read closer--ski trips, too! Please, Linda, share some Glenn goodness in that upcoming bio of your's!)
06-18-2013, 04:42 AM
Glennsallnighter
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
I remember reading that article too a few years ago and thinking how sweet it was. I love hearing those informal anecdotes about Glenn :heart: and the other guys, makes them so human!!
06-23-2013, 11:40 PM
AEW21
Re: Linda Ronstadt & Glenn--the early years
How much do I LOVE this--from the press conference held during the Sundance London premiere of the doc--Glenn and Don talk Linda and their beginnings with her--such fondness and gratitude--and their opinions on why she's not in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Both say lovely things for her and humorous yet honest criticisms against the RRHoF, but since it's Glenn's thread, we'll quote him: Linda should certainly be in just about every hall of fame that is possible for a woman of her talent. Aww...
Have to say, though, Glenn's reaction to the reporter bringing up Linda's autobiography is interesting to me. He seems to be trying very hard to have a non-reaction ;), if that makes sense, at least to me. While Don at least pips up with "Not me" when asked if she spoke to any of them, Glenn says nada. It would have been easy enough for him to say "No" and the fact he doesn't makes me think did reminisce with her...or he didn't and he's afraid of what she might reveal. ;)
Really, though, I think for awhile, pre-Eagles, she, Glenn and JD were quite the lil' trio, and I have to think JD has to be in there, and hence, so does Glenn...
