Linda Ronstadt
Studio album by
Linda Ronstadt
ReleasedJanuary 17, 1972
VenueThe Troubadour
Studio
GenreCountry rock[1][2]
Length31:42
LabelCapitol
ProducerJohn Boylan
Linda Ronstadt chronology
Silk Purse
(1970)		 Linda Ronstadt
(1972)		 Don't Cry Now
(1973)
Singles from Linda Ronstadt
  1. "I Fall to Pieces"
    Released: September 1972
  2. "Rock Me on the Water"
    Released: April 1972
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[3]
Christgau's Record GuideB−[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[5]

Linda Ronstadt is an eponymous studio album by American singer Linda Ronstadt. It was originally released on January 17, 1972 via Capitol Records. It was third studio album in Ronstadt's solo recording career and featured ten tracks. The album mixed original material from new singer-songwriters, along with covers of country, folk and R&B songs. Two singles were spawned from the album including the charting song "Rock Me on the Water".

Background and recording

By 1972, Linda Ronstadt had recorded two studio albums as a solo artist: Hand Sown ... Home Grown (1969) and Silk Purse (1970). Both discs were inspired from the country genre. Her 1972 self-titled studio album would further dive into the genre while also embedding more of a country rock sound.[1] The album was recorded at several studios, beginning with Quadraphonic Sound Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. However, the majority of the sessions were held at the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama and United Western Recorders in Hollywood, California. Three album tracks were recorded in a live format at The Troubadour, a venue located in Hollywood as well. The album was produced by John Boylan and featured session work from Glenn Frey and Don Henley. Both musicians had joined Ronstadt's band before forming the Eagles.[6]

Content

Linda Ronstadt consisted of ten tracks.[3] Its opening track was the Jackson Browne-penned "Rock Me on the Water". Ronstadt's version appeared a few months prior to Browne's own version. Other new recordings included "In My Reply", which was penned by James Taylor's brother. Additional songs that were new releases included "I Won't Be Hangin' Round" and "I Ain't Always Been Faithful".[6] The album also featured covers of country standards: "Crazy Arms" (first a single for Ray Price), Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss Someone" and Patsy Cline's "I Fall to Pieces".[3][6] The album also included a cover of Fontella Bass' R&B single "Rescue Me" and the folk song "Ramblin' Round".[3] Eight of the tracks were cut in recording studios, while "Rescue Me", "I Fall to Pieces" and "Birds" were cut live at The Troubadour.[6]

Release, chart performance, singles and legacy

Linda Ronstadt was originally released on January 17, 1972 by Capitol Records and was her third solo studio album. It was originally distributed as a vinyl LP and cassette (the first Ronstadt album to be released on cassette). Both formats featured five songs on each side of the discs.[7] It was Ronstadt's second solo studio album to reach the US Billboard 200 all-genre chart. Entering the Billboard 200 in February 1972, the album reached the number 163 position in March 1972.[8] It was also her first album to reach Japan's Oricon chart, peaking at number 87.[9] Two singles were released from the album, beginning with her cover of "I Fall to Pieces" in September 1971.[10] In April 1972, "Rock Me on the Water" was issued as the album's second single.[11] The latter became her third charting single in the US, peaking at number 85 on the Billboard Hot 100.[12]

The lack of major success with this and preceding albums was one of Ronstadt's reasons for leaving the Capitol label. After signing with Asylum Records and recording her first album with them, however, Ronstadt was required to release her 1974 album, Heart Like a Wheel on Capitol to fulfil her contract. Ironically, it would become her solo commercial breakthrough.[13] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic later called Linda Ronstadt "a pivotal record in her career" because it featured compositions from new singer-songwriters along with its "folk rock connections".[3]

Track listing

Side one[7]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Rock Me On the Water"Jackson Browne3:40
2."Crazy Arms"
3:33
3."I Won't Be Hangin' Round"Eric Kaz3:03
4."I Still Miss Someone"
2:42
5."In My Reply"Livingston Taylor3:32
Total length:16:30
Side two[7]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Fall to Pieces"
3:11
2."Ramblin' 'Round"
3:22
3."Birds"Neil Young3:01
4."I Ain't Always Been Faithful"Eric Andersen2:51
5."Rescue Me"
  • Raynard Miner
  • Carl Smith
2:47
Total length:15:12

Personnel

All credits are adapted from the liner notes of Linda Ronstadt.[7]

Technical personnel

  • John Boylan – producer
  • Al Coury – production coordinator
  • Don Blake – engineer
  • Larry Hamby – engineer
  • Rudy Hill – engineer
  • Wally Heider – engineer
  • Mike Shields – engineer, mixing, mastering
  • Ray Thompson – engineer
  • Dean Torrence – design
  • John Hoernle – art direction
  • Ed Caraeff – photography

Charts

Chart (1972) Peak
position
Japan (Oricon)[9] 87
US Billboard 200[14] 163

Release history

Release history and formats for Linda Ronstadt
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Germany January 17, 1972 LP Capitol Records [15]
Japan [16]
North America
  • LP
  • cassette
 [7]
United Kingdom LP [17]
Netherlands 1975 [18]
Japan 1992 CD SuperMasters [19]
North America 1995 Capitol Records [20]
circa 2020
  • Music download
  • streaming
 [21]

References

  1. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Linda Ronstadt Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  2. ↑ Dedrick, Jay (January 1, 1998). "Linda Ronstadt". In Knopper, Steve (ed.). MusicHound Lounge: The Essential Album Guide. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. pp. 409–410.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Linda Ronstadt: Songs, reviews, credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  4. ↑ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: R". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 12, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  5. ↑ Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 701. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. rolling stone linda ronstadt album guide.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Lewry, Peter (2010). "1: Welcome to the L.A. Rock Scene". Linda Ronstadt: A Life in Music. Andrews U.K. Limited. ISBN 978-1849892483.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Ronstadt, Linda (January 17, 1972). "Linda Ronstadt (Liner Notes)". Capitol Records. SMAS-635 (LP); 4N-16132 (Cassette).
  8. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2006). The Billboard Albums Includes Every Album that Made the Billboard 200 Chart: 50 Year History of the Rock Era. Record Research, Inc. p. 897. ISBN 978-0898201666.
  9. 1 2 Okamoto, Satoshi (2006). Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  10. ↑ Ronstadt, Linda (September 1971). ""I Fall to Pieces"/"Can It Be True?" (7" vinyl single)". Capitol Records. 3210.
  11. ↑ Ronstadt, Linda (April 1972). ""Rock Me on the Water"/"Crazy Arms" (7" vinyl single)". Capitol Records. 3273.
  12. ↑ "Linda Ronstadt chart history (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  13. ↑ Moore, Mary Ellen (1978). The Linda Ronstadt Scrapbook: An Illustrated Biography. New York: Grosset & Dunlap. p. 61. ISBN 0-441-48411-5.
  14. ↑ "Linda Ronstadt Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  15. ↑ Ronstadt, Linda (January 17, 1972). "Linda Ronstadt [German edition]". Capitol Records. 1C-062-81-072.
  16. ↑ Ronstadt, Linda (January 17, 1972). "Linda Ronstadt [Japanese edition]". Capitol Records. ECP-80482.
  17. ↑ Ronstadt, Linda (January 17, 1972). "Linda Ronstadt [UK edition]". Capitol Records. EA-ST-635.
  18. ↑ Ronstadt, Linda (1975). "Linda Ronstadt and Friends [Netherlands edition]". Capitol Records. 5C-062-81072.
  19. ↑ Ronstadt, Linda (1992). "Linda Ronstadt [Japanese CD edition]". SuperMasters. TOCP-7064 (CD).
  20. ↑ Ronstadt, Linda (1995). "Linda Ronstadt [North American CD edition]". Capitol Records. CDP-580127 (CD).
  21. ↑ "Linda Ronstadt by Linda Ronstadt". Apple Music. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
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