LRLRLRLR

Believe it or not, Linda Ronstadt turns 65 today.

She was in the folk-rock scene of the 60s, even having a hit with Mike Nesmith's "Different Drum" for the Stone Poneys.  She got a little more countrified by the late 60s, and also sang backup for some big acts, including Neil Young.  Then she found a new country/rock/pop sound, helped by producer Peter Asher (of Peter and Gordon), which made her one of the biggest acts of the 70s.  It didn't hurt that she was very sexy.  (She was also taken seriously by the critics.  The first Rolling Stone record guide gives her breakthrough album Heart Like A Wheel five stars.)

She had a series of top-selling albums, several going to #1.  They featured quite a few hit singles, almost always covers of songs that had previously been popular.  By the early 80s, though, her career stalled. Which is when she reinvented herself, recording some very successful albums of standards.  Next, in the 90s, she went back to her Latin roots and sang Mexican songs.  But it's her 70s work for which she'll be remembered.  (I hope. She never should have touched the Great American Songbook.)

Okay, many of her recordings were of songs better done the first time, but they were still fun, and if they did nothing but send people back to the original, they performed a service.