4 Memorable Guest Vocal Appearances by Linda Ronstadt, Including Songs From Neil Young and Paul Simon

Here’s sending out Happy Birthday wishes to Linda Ronstadt, who was born 78 years ago today (July 15, 1946). Ronstadt first gained attention in the late 1960s as a member of folk-rock group The Stone Poneys before launching hugely successful solo career.

From 1970 into the 2000s, Ronstadt released a variety of hit songs and popular albums while exploring various genres, including folk-rock, country, pop, rock, big band, mariachi, and more. She also performed in a number of Broadway musicals, most notably The Pirates of Penzance.

[RELATED: 5 Songs You Didn’t Know Linda Ronstadt Wrote Since Her New Union Ramblers Days]

Ronstadt was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. Sadly, Ronstadt announced that she’d been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which affected her ability to sing. Her diagnosis later was revised to progressive supranuclear palsy, another degenerative disease.

Throughout her singing career, Ronstadt frequently worked with other artists, and she contributed vocals to noteworthy recordings by various well-known musicians. In honor of Ronstadt’s birthday, here are four of her memorable guest performances.

“Heart of Gold” – Neil Young (1972)

“Heart of Gold” was Neil Young’s highest-charting single, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1972. The song was featured on Young’s classic album Harvest.

“Heart of Gold” was one of two tunes from the album that feature backing vocals by Ronstadt and James Taylor, along with “Old Man.” Both tracks were recorded during the initial sessions for Harvest in early February 1971 in Nashville.

Ronstadt and Taylor were in Nashville at the time to appear on Johnny Cash’s TV variety show. Harvest co-producer Elliott Mazer arranged for the two artists to sing on the sessions.

In “Heart of Gold,” Ronstadt’s powerful backing vocals are heard, and are particularly prominent, during the tune’s outro.

Linda later contributed vocals to quite few other Young songs, including multiple tunes features on his album American Stars ’n Bars (1977), Freedom (1989), and Harvest Moon (1992).

“Lonely Boy” – Andrew Gold (1976)

Andrew Gold was talented musician and singer/songwriter who was a member of Ronstadt’s band during the mid-1970s. He also made major musical contributions to three of her albums—Heart Like a Wheel (1974), Prisoner in Disguise (1975), and Hasten Down the Wind (1976). In addition, he co-wrote the Hasten Down the Wind track “Try Me Again” with Ronstadt.

When Gold launched a solo career around that same time, he enlisted Ronstadt to sing backing vocals on several of his songs.

One of those tunes was “Lonely Boy,” a track from Gold’s second studio album, What’s Wrong with This Picture? (1976). Ronstadt joins Gold to sing harmony vocals on the song’s second verse.

“Lonely Boy” became Gold’s biggest hit as a solo artist, reaching No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Excitable Boy” – Warren Zevon (1978)

Warren Zevon scored a career breakthrough with his third studio album, Excitable Boy, which was released in 1978. The album featured the hit single “Werewolves of London,” which became Zevon’s only Top-40 hit on the Hot 100, peaking at No. 21.

Excitable Boy also featured quite a few other memorable tunes, including the title track. The twisted song was an upbeat pop-rock gem about a deranged teenager who murders his prom date.

Ronstadt her smooth voice to the tune’s catchy repeated choruses, singing, “Ooh, ah, ooh / Ooh, excitable boy.”

“Under African Skies” – Paul Simon (1986)

Paul Simon’s 1986 solo album Graceland marked a critical and commercial comeback for the acclaimed singer/songwriter. Simon tapped the talents of a variety of African musicians to record the album, which combined Paul’s songwriting skills and poetic lyrical sensibilities with contemporary African pop sounds.

Ronstadt sings beautiful harmonies on “Under African Skies,” a hypnotic pop-rock tune with an infectious groove. Interestingly, the song’s lyrics mention Tucson, Arizona, which happens to be Ronstadt’s hometown.

“Under African Skies” was released as the final single from Graceland, although it failed to chart. Graceland won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1987.