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Linda Ronstadt: Parkinson's Took My Singing Voice
The Hollywood Reporter ^ | 8/23/2013 | Sophie Schillaci

Posted on 08/23/2013 6:55:29 PM PDT by mr fish

The 67-year-old, 11-time Grammy Award winner details her struggle with the disease in an interview with the AARP.

Grammy Award-winning artist Linda Ronstadt has revealed that a recent Parkinson's diagnosis has rendered her unable to sing.

In an interview with the AARP, the 67-year-old says that she was officially diagnosed with the degenerative disorder eight months ago after displaying symptoms as far back as eight years ago.

"I couldn't sing," she told AARP music reporter Alanna Nash, "and I couldn't figure out why. I knew it was mechanical. I knew it had to do with the muscles, but I thought it might have also had something to do with the tick disease that I had. And it didn't occur to me to go to a neurologist."

PHOTOS: Grammys 2013: The Winners

Ronstadt says that she had undergone a shoulder operation, and she believed that to be the culprit for her trembling hands.

"Parkinson's is very hard to diagnose, so when I finally went to a neurologist and he said, 'Oh, you have Parkinson's disease,' I was completely shocked," she said. "I wouldn't have suspected that in a million, billion years."

Now, Ronstadt says she "can't sing a note." Throughout her career, which began when she was just 14 years old singing with her siblings, Ronstadt accumulated eleven Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, a Tony Award and a Golden Globe nom for her role in The Pirates of Penzance. She released her first studio album in 1969 (Hand Sown… Home Grown) and her most recent in 2006 (Adieu False Heart).

Ronstadt recently penned a memoir, Simple Dreams, out Sept. 17, though the book does not address her diagnosis or the loss of her voice.

"No one can sing with Parkinson's disease," she tells AARP. "No matter how hard you try."

The publication's full interview with Ronstadt is slated to run on AARP.org next week.


TOPICS: Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: lindaronstadt; music
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To: mr fish
OK, I am really ticked off now! They better get her in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame now! It took Leon Russell almost dying a couple of times but they finally did it for him!

There is no excuse for this unconscionable slight.

Donna Summer, but not Linda Ronstadt? Darlene Love, but not Linda Ronstadt? Madonna, but not Linda Ronstadt?

Were Ruth Brown, LaVern Baker and Etta James known as rock n’ rollers? They are all in the RRHOF but not Linda Ronstadt.

81 posted on 08/23/2013 9:57:07 PM PDT by higgmeister ( In the Shadow of The Big Chicken!)
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To: higgmeister

Can you listen to RRHOF? Or eat it? Drink it? How?


82 posted on 08/23/2013 9:58:56 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Bad things are wrong! Ice cream is delicious!)
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To: max americana

Seems like there is always a few that think we are too tough on the enemy. And they believe we are the enemy and have even said so publicly


83 posted on 08/23/2013 10:07:18 PM PDT by HANG THE EXPENSE (Life's tough.It's tougher when you're stupid.)
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To: HANG THE EXPENSE

In the past week alone, I’ve encountered pro-faggot, atheist and anti-God, pro-illegal aliens, pro-electric cars, pro McCain “Freepers”. You could say they’re a “few”, but that’s a few too many.

There are a bunch of clowns here that have their heads in the sand. Pathetic. I could even argue that what I do here in Hollywood, making sure certain movies move up the development chain in our favor excuses me from the Freepathon but I won’t..


84 posted on 08/23/2013 10:20:34 PM PDT by max americana (fired liberals in our company after the election, & laughed while they cried (true story))
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To: berdie
But aren’t the end results similar?

I would say that yes, death is similar.

85 posted on 08/23/2013 11:04:10 PM PDT by A.A. Cunningham (Barry Soetoro can't pass E-verify)
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To: mason-dixon
The two disc Round Midnight is worth getting.


86 posted on 08/23/2013 11:11:50 PM PDT by A.A. Cunningham (Barry Soetoro can't pass E-verify)
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To: mr fish

My favorite:

Skylark: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzNmG_lpNw8


87 posted on 08/23/2013 11:45:57 PM PDT by PLMerite (Shut the Beyotch Down! Burn, baby, burn!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“Is Parkinson’s a new euphemism for syphilis?”

She has admitted that she slept around ‘a lot.’


88 posted on 08/23/2013 11:47:20 PM PDT by PLMerite (Shut the Beyotch Down! Burn, baby, burn!)
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To: A.A. Cunningham

I love this..from those albums...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqE7HK_KUjk


89 posted on 08/23/2013 11:49:35 PM PDT by berdie
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To: mr fish
I liked her cover of Silver Threads and Golden Needles

She like Zevon ...knew how to pick a good guitarman

90 posted on 08/24/2013 12:02:35 AM PDT by wardaddy (the next Dark Ages are coming as Western Civilization crumbles with nary a whimper)
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To: wardaddy

Dang, Wardaddy...is that Frampton?

I didn’t know he played with her, if it is.

I saw him several years ago...he is bald as can be, but has the greatest smile. You could tell he was having a blast (or pretending to).


91 posted on 08/24/2013 12:09:18 AM PDT by berdie
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To: cicero2k

Wow, there’s a name I hadn’t heard in a long, long time. I saw her about 1980, had one of her albums. Will have to look for it tomorrow.


92 posted on 08/24/2013 12:17:52 AM PDT by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: mr fish
I saw her at the Fillmore East in NYC with the Stone Ponies, in I think 70 or 71. While we were waiting to get in, she walked through the lobby, right near us. What a babe!
Now as for her politics, she's a wacko. Still, she had a great voice. Her early covers of Buddy Holly were good. And the two Nelson Riddle albums are great.
93 posted on 08/24/2013 12:23:03 AM PDT by JoeA (JoeA / Lex clavatoris designati rescindenda est)
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To: ChildOfThe60s

One of the later incarnations of the Stone Poneys was basically the Eagles


94 posted on 08/24/2013 12:29:04 AM PDT by muir_redwoods (Don't fire until you see the blue of their helmets)
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To: mr fish

I saw her ten years ago and she sucked. She murmured her way through a bunch of Nelson Riddle crap. Sucked I tell ya.


95 posted on 08/24/2013 12:30:34 AM PDT by muir_redwoods (Don't fire until you see the blue of their helmets)
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To: doc1019

Vile took her ticket sales.


96 posted on 08/24/2013 12:44:56 AM PDT by VerySadAmerican (When you vote for evil because you can't see evil, you ARE evil.)
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To: ConservativeStatement

Wow, no boobs.


97 posted on 08/24/2013 12:46:21 AM PDT by ebshumidors
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To: berdie

Waddy Wachtel

played with her and Zevon

keith and his xpensive winos

iggy pop...roxy music

jackson browne

stevie nicks..buckingham nicks and fleetwood mac

several Stones tours and albums

the Cowsills...remember them..on Hair

he was Don Was go to guitar man for many albums uncredited

Joe Walsh

and so forth


98 posted on 08/24/2013 12:48:43 AM PDT by wardaddy (the next Dark Ages are coming as Western Civilization crumbles with nary a whimper)
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To: MuttTheHoople

Aw, crap, c’mon, we ALL age!


99 posted on 08/24/2013 1:15:36 AM PDT by AmericanInTokyo (Kim Jong Un won't have a single "bad underwear day" unless/until we've a patriot in the White House)
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To: AmericanInTokyo

Yes we do, but the vile hate of her ultimate character is pretty much evident.


100 posted on 08/24/2013 1:21:44 AM PDT by antceecee (Bless us Lord, forgive us our sins and bring us to everlasting life.)
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