Linda Ronstadt’s songbook is filled to the brim with classic Americana tales. Prior to her retirement in 2011, her performances were raw, deeply emotive, and bolstered by her stunning vocals. Despite how connected she seemed to be to the material she recorded, Ronstadt did not pen the words she sang. Few artists have been as astute as Ronstadt in picking songs to cover.
Videos by American Songwriter
Though she may not be a songwriter, Ronstadt has had some powerful words to say outside the studio about singing, life, religion, and more. Find 10 of her most thought-provoking quotes below.
1. “Someone once asked me why people sing. I answered that they sing for many of the same reasons the birds sing. They sing for a mate, to claim their territory, or simply to give voice to the delight of being alive in the midst of a beautiful day.”
2. “I have always believed that one learns more from failure than from success.”
3. “The dream world of sleep and the dream world of music are not far apart. I often catch glimpses of one as I pass through a door to the other, like encountering a neighbor in the hallway going into the apartment next to one’s own.”
4. “The elements of voice and style are braided together like twine, consisting of these attempts to copy other artists, or an instrument, or even the sound of a bird or passing train. Added to these characteristics are emotions and thoughts that register as various vocal quirks, like hiccups, sighs, growls, warbles—a practically limitless assortment of choices.”
5. “God scares me when you get Him indoors.”
6. “The thing you have to be prepared for is that other people don’t always dream your dream.”
7. “In committing to artistic growth, you have to refine your skills to support your instincts.”
8. “Art is for healing ourselves, and everybody needs their own personal art to heal up their problems.”
9. “Everywhere you go, there’s a soundtrack. You can’t really quite hear it. It’s just a little out of the range of hearing.”
10. “I feel sorry for a culture that depends too much on delegating its musical expression to professionals. It is fine to have heroes, but we should do our own singing first, even if it is never heard beyond the shower curtain.”
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
