Linda Ronstadt Biography

Linda Ronstadt (full name – Linda Maria Ronstadt) is a famous American Award-winning retired American singer who is best known for performing and recording in diverse genres such as rock, light opera, country, Latin, and the Great American Songbook.

Ronstadt has 15 greatest hits/compilation albums and 24 studio albums, chartering 38 US Billboard Hot 100 singles, of which; 21 of the singles reached the top 40; 1 single reached no. one; and 10 singles reached the top 10. She also charted in the United Kingdom as 2 of her duets, “Don’t Know Much” with Aaron Neville and “Somewhere Out There” with James Ingram, peaked at numbers 2 and 8 respectively. Also, the single “Blue Bayou” reached no. 35 on the United Kingdom Singles charts.

She has worked in collaboration with artists in various genres such as Frank Zappa, Dolly Parton, Bette Midler, Carla Bley, Emmylou Harris, and many others. Ronstadt has lent her voice to more than 120 albums and has sold over 100,000,000 records. This makes Ronstadt among the best-selling artists of all time in the globe. After Ronstadt felt her singing voice was deteriorating, she decided to reduce her activity after the year 2000 and released her last full-length album in the year 2004. It was in the year 2009 that she performed her last live concert.

Linda Ronstadt Awards and Honors

Ronstadt holds multiple awards for her singing career, including 3 American Music Awards, an ALMA Award, 11 Grammy Awards, 2 Academy of Country Music awards, and an Emmy Award. Many of Ronstadt’s albums have been certified multiplatinum, platinum, or gold, internationally and in the U.S. She was nominated for a Golden Globe award and a Tony Award. Ronstadt holds the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, which she received in the year 2011 from the Latin Recording Academy. In the year 2016, the Recording Academy honored her with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

In April 2014, Ronstadt was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and won the National Medal of Arts and Humanities on July 28, 2014. She was awarded a star jointly with Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in the year 2019 for their work as the group Trio. She was one of the 5 honorees who earned the 2019 Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime artistic achievements.

Linda Ronstadt Age

Ronstadt is 76 years old as of 2022. She was born on July 15, 1946, in Tucson, Arizona, United States. She celebrates her birthday on the 15th of July every year.

Linda Ronstadt Height

Ronstadt stands at an approximate height of 5 feet 2 inches (1.57 m).

Linda Ronstadt Family

Ronstadt was born to Ruth Mary (mother) and Gilbert Ronstadt (father). Her mom was a homemaker, born in the year 1914 and passed away in the year 1982. Ronstadt’s mom was of German, Dutch, and English ancestry and her dad was of Mexican descent with a German male ancestor. Her dad was a prosperous machinery merchant who ran the F. Ronstadt Co. He was born in the year 1911 and passed away in the year 1995.

Linda Ronstadt Siblings

Ronstadt was raised alongside her 3 brothers; Gretchen, Michael, and Peter, on their family’s 10-acre (4 hectares) ranch. Peter worked as Tucson’s Chief of Police for 10 years (1981–1991). Ronstadt’s family was featured in Family Circle magazine in the year 1953.

Linda Ronstadt Ex-Boyfriends

Ronstadt has been in 8 relationships. She has never seriously intended to marry any of the 8 men. These guys were John Boylan, JD Souther, Albert Brooks, Jerry Brown, Bill Murray, Jim Carrey, George Lucas, and Aaron Neville. Since Ronstadt’s last relationship, she has been living life as a single mother.

Linda Ronstadt John Boylan

Ronstadt’s first date was John Boylan, a Grammy award-winning record producer. They began dating in the year 1970 and they moved in together later on. In the year 2019, Ronstadt revealed that they break up and stated that she needed someone who would do what she wanted, which was not happening with John.

Linda Ronstadt JD Souther

Ronstadt engaged in a relationship with JD Souther (rock singer) after breaking up with John Boylan. They began dating in the year 1972 and moved in together 2 years later. In the year 1974, they break up due to unknown reasons but remained good friends.

Linda Ronstadt Albert Brooks

Ronstadt engaged in a relationship with Albert Brooks, “Defending Your Life” star after splitting up with JD Souther. They began dating in the year 1974 and they split in the year 1976. Ronstadt once revealed that regardless of his break up with Albert, he was cute, but she did not like his career very much.

Linda Ronstadt Jerry Brown

Ronstadt started dating Jerry Brown, a popular American politician, after breaking up with Albert Brooks. They first met in the year 1971 and it didn’t take long before they began dating officially. Ronstadt once stated that dating Jerry was a relief since he was fun to live with. Despite that, she also stated that she knew it would not work out. However, they have been good friends since then.

Linda Ronstadt Bill Murray

Ronstadt linked up with Bill Murray, an actor after breaking up with Jerry Brown. They moved in together and lived under one roof but this didn’t go well and they split up.

Linda Ronstadt Jim Carrey

Ronstadt moved on with Jim Carrey (a comedian and actor), after splitting up with Bill Murray. They first met at one of Jim’s comedy performances in Los Angeles, CA, in the year 1983. They split up after 8 months. She stated that their relationship did not do well, but remained good friends. Ronstadt once described her ex-boyfriend as an incredible person.

Linda Ronstadt George Lucas

Ronstadt began dating George Lucas (movie director) after breaking up with Jim Carrey. They met backstage at one of Ronstadt’s concerts. This was actually Ronstadt’s longest relationship. They were together for half a decade. At some point, Ronstadt and George engaged before breaking up in the year 1988. While dating, they kept many aspects of their relationship away from the limelight.

Linda Ronstadt Aaron Neville

After all those breakups, Ronstadt did not lose hope and she decided to try another relationship with Aaron Neville (singer). They began dating officially in the year 1989 and they were named the “First Couple of Pop Music.” Ronstadt and Aaron’s relationship however ended in the year 1992.

Linda Ronstadt Children

Regardless of dating 8 men, she had always wanted to have children of her own. Her wish to become a mother came true in December 1990, when she adopted a girl called Mary Clementine. After 4 years (1994), she completed her family after adopting a boy called Carlos.

Linda Ronstadt Net Worth

Ronstadt has an annual estimated net worth of $130 Million.

Linda Ronstadt Books / Author

Ronstadt has authored 2 books;

• Feels Like Home: A Song for the Sonoran Borderlands (2022)
• Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir (September 2013) (autobiography)

In the year 2019, she released a documentary based on her memoirs, titled “Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice.”

Linda Ronstadt Illness / Health

In the year 2012, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Seven years later (2019), she was diagnosed with an incurable degenerative disease called progressive supranuclear palsy.

Ronstadt’s singing career came to an abrupt end and this profoundly changed her life. She now experiences challenges such as brushing her teeth and eating. These challenges require considerable attention for this genre-leaping vocal legend. Walking is also difficult for her. Ronstadt also uses hearing aids, although she says that this is a sign of growing old.

Linda Ronstadt Retirement

In the year 2011, Ronstadt made the announcement of her retirement. She stated that she was no longer able to sing after her diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy. Since her retirement, she has continued to make public appearances, attending several public speaking tours in the year 2010.

Linda Ronstadt Political Activism

During and after Ronstadt’s performance at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas on July 17, 2004, her politics received both praise and criticism. Just before the show ended, she spoke to the audience, praising Michael Moore’s documentary film, Fahrenheit 9/11, which was about the Iraq War. Ronstadt also dedicated the song “Desperado” to Michael Moore.