Some musical career moves are duds, some stepping stones, but others can be so perfect and singular that the only way to describe them is with words like “ludicrous” or “nirvana” (at least, those are the ones Linda Ronstadt used). The queen of 1970s soft rock boasts a wide and varied career that stretched well into the late 2000s and across multiple genres, from rock to country to ranchera to her stint in the operetta The Pirates of Penzance.
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But sometime in the mid-1970s, Ronstadt began to embark on a different career path that, although it wouldn’t produce as many albums or live performances as her other professional endeavors, would be one of the most artistically rewarding projects of her lifetime.
Linda Ronstadt Recalls Her “Ludicrous” Mid-1970s Career Move
The musical world is far smaller than the larger-than-life celebrities can make it appear, which meant it was only a matter of time before Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, and Emmylou Harris crossed paths as they were dominating their respective genres in the mid-to-late 1970s. The trio instantly hit it off. Moreover, they knew they had something special musically the first time they sang harmonies together. Each of their distinct voices supported the others, creating a beautiful, cohesive blend similar to Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young.
The women set off to make a record, but there was a problem (several, actually). Each musician was on a different label with equally busy schedules, making scheduling recording sessions nearly impossible. “It was a ludicrous situation,” Ronstadt recalled in a 1980 Playboy interview. “We were trying to make an album in ten days. We three grown-ups should have known better than to put ourselves in a pressure cooker that way.” But she added, “We just wanted to do it so badly and thought that was our only chance.”
History would prove that their scrapped sessions from 1979 wouldn’t be their only chance after all. Ronstadt, Parton, and Harris released two collaborative albums, Trio in 1987 and Trio II in 1999. The albums put their voices front and center, blending elements of folk, bluegrass, country, and rock with songs like “Wildflowers,” “Rosewood Casket,” and “After the Gold Rush.” For music lovers everywhere, it was fortunate that the women persisted with their project despite its initial difficulties. For the musicians, it was a no-brainer.
A Musical Match Made In Heaven (Or Nirvana)
As is often the case with women in music, rumors of in-fighting being the cause of the trio’s abandoned sessions began to surface in the early 1980s. “They’re women, so they must not get along,” the tabloids seemed to suggest. “So, naturally, they aren’t working together anymore.” But according to Linda Ronstadt, that couldn’t have been further from the truth. “The potential for hideous and b****y behavior and accusations was enormous,” Ronstadt admitted during her 1980 interview with Playboy.
“At the very beginning, we made a solemn pact that at any time our friendship was hurt, we would end the project,” Ronstadt continued. “Friendship first. When I think of the kinds of things that could have happened, it blows my hair. The thing is that Dolly—God, there is not one trace of malice in her—has such a keen understanding of what motivates people that there was never a trace of b****iness. Basically, what I learned was that I wanted to be on the team with Dolly and Emmy. Singing with them is a [precious] experience. It was like musical nirvana. I learned a lot about music and morality.”
Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images
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