On this day (February 26) in 1975, Linda Ronstadt was at No. 1 on the country albums chart with Heart Like a Wheel. The LP was a crossover success, topping the all-genre chart for a single week and the country chart for four consecutive weeks. Moreover, the album produced her only solo No. 1 singles. “When Will I Be Loved” was a country hit while “You’re No Good” topped the Hot 100.
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Heart Like a Wheel was Ronstadt’s breakthrough album. It was her sixth and final release with Capitol Records and her first to become a hit. Her most successful full-length release before this one was Silk Purse, which peaked at No. 103 on the Billboard 200.
More importantly, Heart Like a Wheel introduced a new era for Ronstadt. She had seemingly honed her vocal delivery and song selection. As a result, the album kicked off a string of top 5 hits that ran into the early 1980s. Two of those albums–Simple Dreams and Living in the USA–topped the all-genre albums chart.
Linda Ronstadt Finds Her Sole Solo No. 1 Singles
Heart Like a Wheel perfectly illustrates Linda Ronstadt’s wide appeal. As she rose to prominence, her music became the common ground on which pop and country fans could stand.
The album’s first single, “You’re No Good,” was her cover of Betty Everett’s Clint Ballard Jr.-penned 1963 R&B hit. It took Ronstadt to the top of the Hot 100 for a week in mid-February 1975. The record’s third single was “When Will I Be Loved,” which became her only solo country No. 1.
The album also earned four Grammy Award nominations. It was up for Album of the Year and brought her the nod for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female. Peter Asher was nominated for Producer of the Year for his work on the LP. Ronstadt won Best Country Vocal Performance for her rendition of the Hank Williams-penned “I Can’t Help If I’m Still in Love with You.”
Featured Image by Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns
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