Simple Dreams

A Musical Memoir

By: Linda Ronstadt

Narrated by: Kathe Mazur

In this memoir, iconic singer Linda Ronstadt weaves together a captivating story of her origins in Tucson, Arizona, and her rise to stardom in the Southern California music scene of the 1960s and ‘70s.

Tracing the timeline of her remarkable life, Linda Ronstadt, whose forty-five year career has encompassed a wide array of musical styles, weaves together a captivating story of her origins in Tucson, Arizona, and her rise to stardom in the Southern California music scene of the 1960s and ‘70s.

Linda Ronstadt was born into a musical family, and her childhood was filled with everything from Gilbert and Sullivan to Mexican folk music to jazz and opera. Her artistic curiosity blossomed early, and she and her siblings began performing their own music for anyone who would listen. Now, in this beautifully crafted memoir, Ronstadt tells the story of her wide-ranging and utterly unique musical journey.

Ronstadt arrived in Los Angeles just as the folkrock movement was beginning to bloom, setting the stage for the development of country-rock. As part of the coterie of like-minded artists who played at the famed Troubadour club in West Hollywood, she helped define the musical style that dominated American music in the 1970s. One of her early backup bands went on to become the Eagles, and Linda went on to become the most successful female artist of the decade.

In Simple Dreams, Ronstadt reveals the eclectic and fascinating journey that led to her long-lasting success, including stories behind many of her beloved songs. And she describes it all in a voice as beautiful as the one that sang “Heart Like a Wheel”—longing, graceful, and authentic.

Excellent

For anyone who likes any of Linda’s songs, this is a must read/listen! You won’t be disappointed.

Amazing Book by an Amazing Woman

Linda has had an amazing and inspirational life and career. I’ve listened to her since her first album and have always been blown away by her voice. This book shows her to also be an intelligent, articulate, thoughtful, generous, self-aware person. I’m sad that she won’t be singing any more, but all her past work is there for me, and all of us, to enjoy now and into the future.

Lovely author, story could have been much more

I am being generous with my rating, as Linda Rondstadt is such an intelligent woman, full of grace and having paved the way for many other women in the very sexist music business. I have a full appreciation of how she looked at music and why she sang in so many genres from reading the book.

I wish huge music successes could strike a balance between FAR too much intimate information (e.g., Billy Idol) and next to none (this book). It's not even intimate information I want. But so very many pivotal relationships were ignored or glossed over, relationships that influenced the music. Plus, not being given a single detail about why she chose single motherhood, and how she went through the very emotional adoption experience, was disappointing in the extreme. My first disappointment came early, when she went from the beginning of a harrowing Catholic school to suddenly graduating from high school and just as suddenly, from college. Too much of her life was skipped.

However I did appreciate her brief assessment of Jim Morrison, which was always what I suspected he was like, and I learned a few new things, such as why arena performing is so awful from a sound perspective and how Metallica adapted to that beautifully. I'm glad I read it. But it could have been much more.

It was a monotone rendering that didn't really convey the heady excitement and ups and downs she lived.

Linda’s wonderful story of her life.

The stories of Linda’s long wonderful career. My favorite singer of all time. She can do it all. Simply the best!!!😘

Informative but dry

Appreciated learning more about Linda Ronstadt but couldn’t get emotionally attached to this book. Narration was clear and unremarkable.