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Pop Rock Nation

Tag: Linda Ronstadt

  • Trios…

    Trios…

    What do you get when you have singing groups of three? Trios, of course!

    I am currently involved with a project on SingSnap.com that requires me to sing a song with two other women. We’re trying to decide what song we want to sing together. It’s not so easy, though, because I don’t really know these women too well. We all kind of have different tastes and styles. Because we need to pick a song soon and I want to be helpful, I figured today would be a good day to write a post about trios– specifically female trios.

    When I think of this topic, the first thing that comes to mind is the legendary trio consisting of Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, and Emmylou Harris. Back in 1987, they came together on a project they called Trio and made gems like this…


    Oh, heavenly harmonies! “To Know Him Is To Love Him” is a great trio song.

    Then I started to think about newer trios… like Destiny’s Child.


    I must admit, I am more familiar with the version of “Emotion” Samantha Sang did in the 70s. But the tight harmonies on “Emotion” are very appealing, aren’t they?

    Unfortunately, the Bee Gees aren’t down with allowing their music on SingSnap.com, so that song is out. Back to the drawing board.

    What about the Dixie Chicks? They’re a trio and they are all over SingSnap.com! So let’s see…


    How about “Wide Open Spaces”? That song is a classic.

    Of course, if we wanted to do an 80s style trio, we could channel a little Bananarama.


    I always liked this song… It may be a little too pop, though it is a bonafide trio effort!

    Or we could go really old school and try an Andrews Sisters hit. Remember “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree”?


    This might be pretty hard to pull off… Gotta love those harmonies, though.

    The Maguire Sisters were a little more soulful…


    The 50s and 60s may be the best source for finding good trios!

    This could be a real project for me this weekend. Anyone have other suggestions for good songs for female trios? Feel free to leave me a comment!

  • Funeral songs…

    Funeral songs…

    I don’t mean to be a downer, but I’m in the market for some funeral songs…

    Over the past week or so, I’ve been dealing with some unfortunate family business. It’s the kind of business that affects every family eventually. My father is on his death bed, after several years of suffering from Lewy body dementia. The disease has been devastating and it’s robbed him of so many things. He used to be a great singer but his voice was ruined after a surgery after which he spent weeks in a coma and was therefore intubated. He used to love to exercise, but the Parkinsonian effects of his disease robbed him of being able to walk much. He used to love people, but the dementia made him less tolerant of others. He lost much of his autonomy and gained hallucinations, irrational thinking, and the need to sleep most of the time.

    About ten days ago, he stopped eating and complained of a stomach ache. My mom got worried. She called an ambulance and they went to the closest hospital, where a doctor determined that my dad’s gallbladder was inflamed. A decision was made to remove the organ. I found out about the surgery after it had already happened. When I heard about it, I had a sinking feeling that this could be end up being my father’s undoing. I told my husband, Bill, that we might need to make a quick trip to Virginia, which is where I’m from and where my parents still live. Sure enough, by the weekend we were on our way, since after the operation, my dad had trouble breathing and had to be intubated.

    I saw my dad on Sunday, after my mom made it clear that she wasn’t going to go to great lengths to save him from death. Not that I blame her for that… My dad wouldn’t want to be kept alive artificially and, when I saw him, I didn’t think he looked happy or comfortable. My mom confided to me that he had expressed a desire to be done with the disease. Fortunately, my sisters and I are all in agreement with my mom about the right thing to do for my dad.

    My dad loves music. In the community where I grew up, my dad was a well known star of many choral groups. He sang a lot of solos and always had some sort of gig going on. I didn’t become a singer until I was 18 and in college. I think I knew I liked music and was naturally good at it, but I didn’t want to compete with my dad or be compared to him. But I know I get a lot of my love for music from both of my parents, my dad especially. My sister said he had seemed to perk up a little when she played some music for him. I told her I had a few songs that I had recorded. She said I should play them for him. I did.


    I played this song first.

    My dad’s eyebrows raised a little as I played this. My sister said I should play another. For some reason, I ended up playing my version of “Bein’ Green” for my dad. I don’t even know if he knew that song, even though I was a young girl when it was popular. My sister encouraged me to sing along with my recording, but all I could manage to do was hum… and even that was choked up with emotion.


    There’s something about this song that makes me emotional.

    I came home yesterday. My dad was taken off the ventilator and my mom requested that it not be reconnected. I was told that he wasn’t doing so well without the ventilator, but I haven’t heard any news that he’s gone yet. It’s just a matter of time, though.

    My sister asked me to make her a CD with some of my recordings on it, so I’ve been gathering them… and even recorded a couple of new ones today. The ones I did today are a bit funereal. But then, my dad won’t have an actual funeral. My mom has arranged for his brain to be studied at Harvard University, so it may be some time before he’ll be ready for a memorial service. And given that I have to move to Germany by August, I don’t know that I’d be around for it anyway. So I thought I’d post a few songs I would play for my dad if I could plan the music for his service.


    Alison Krauss and Union Station singing “Heaven’s Bright Shore”.


    “The Far Side Banks of Jordan” performed by The Cox Family with Alison Krauss… I heard this one about twenty minutes after I lost my beloved beagle, MacGregor, and it gave me peace.


    And “I Will See You Again” which is so much like my parents’ relationship…

    A few weeks ago, I recorded a song that was written and originally performed by Karla Bonoff and later covered by Linda Ronstadt. I knew about it some time ago, but only recently rediscovered it. If I could, I’d play this when remembering my dad…


    This is my version of “Goodbye, My Friend”, but you can easily find the original and Linda Ronstadt’s version on YouTube.

    Like I said, I’m sorry to be such a downer today. Music is like a salve at times like this, even if funeral songs make me cry.

  • I’ve got the blues…

    I’ve got the blues…

    This week has been tough. A bunch of things have been piling up. And now I’ve got the blues…

    A whole bunch of *stuff* piled up on me this week. Most of the stuff is minor, though when it all piles up at once, it can feel like a big load. Often, when I’m feeling depressed, I like to listen to music. Historically, I would choose music from James Taylor, whose voice somehow manages to console me. As my tastes have evolved, so have my musical choices. Though I’m not quite as blue this morning as I’ve been at other times, I thought I’d take a look at some of the songs that soothe me when I’ve got the blues. Note that these songs are not “blues” songs per se, though I may sneak one or two in.


    Eric Clapton sings “Lonely Stranger” from his 1992 Unplugged album.

    I don’t know why, but this song “Lonely Stranger” has been on my mind for the past couple of days. There’s something elegantly beautiful about this sad song, all about being a lonely stranger without a love in the world. That doesn’t describe me today, but it has in the past… or at least it seemed like it did. It’s nice to listen to this, even as I realize it’s been 22 years since Clapton’s Unplugged was released. Man, I feel old.


    James Taylor’s classic song, “Bartender’s Blues”, certainly was a comfort when I worked in the restaurant industry. Anyone who has been a bartender or server can relate. Check out Linda Ronstadt’s searing backup.

    Lots of artists have covered “Bartender’s Blues”. I found a very cool clip of Elvis Costello and Laura Cantrell teaming up on it. Vince Gill, Bonnie Raitt, and George Jones did it. Hell, even Amy Grant sang it!


    This is weird. I never thought I’d hear Amy Grant singing about being a bartender.

    I’ve found Jackson Browne is great when I’m in a low mood. There’s something about his dark piano chords and bitter vocals that just touches me at the core. Some of his melodies are just beautiful. And when he goes for those diminished chords, I just sigh.


    Supposedly, this song is about Jackson Browne’s brief relationship with Joni Mitchell…

    If “Fountain of Sorrow” was really about Joni Mitchell, she’s got to be one of the most inspirational people on the planet.


    Joni Mitchell sings “Blue” in concert.

    Speaking of Joni Mitchell, she’s pretty good for a melancholy song or two herself. I discovered her 1970 album Blue in 1999, when I was recovering from clinical depression. This song seems to be about the druggy culture of the early 70s, but there’s something about the melody that speaks to me when I’ve got the blues.


    Keb’ Mo plays his gorgeous song, “Henry”.

    Just listening to Keb’ Mo’ play “Henry” is enough to bring a lump to my throat. It’s not so much the words that do it as it is the hauntingly gorgeous melody and the sound of Keb’ Mo’s rich vocals.


    Bonnie Raitt sings “Louise”, a song by Paul Siebel.

    “Louise” is the sad ballad of a low class woman of who didn’t have a lot of friends, but was a friend to a lot of lonely men. Bonnie Raitt sings this with so much heart and appreciation as she recalls how Louise died alone and went home alone.


    The Corrs have done an amazing version of REM’s “Everybody Hurts”.

    While I like REM as much as anyone my age does, it’s The Corrs’ heartbreakingly beautiful cover of “Everybody Hurts” that makes me want to pour out the blues with a good cry. There’s something so moving about this rendition, especially given that suicide is a big problem in Ireland. The first time I heard it, I had to have the album it came from, even though it’s out of print.


    Linda Ronstadt sings “Blue Bayou”…

    And finally, here’s Linda Ronstadt in her prime, singing a soaring version of “Blue Bayou”, a song written by the late Roy Orbison. I love to sing this one myself, but no one does it quite how Linda does. And this melancholy song with its hopeful lyrics are helpful when I need to get over the blues.