Linda Marie Ronstadt, best known as Linda Ronstadt, was an American singer, songwriter, and producer who rose to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s. A three-time Grammy Award-winner and six-time American Music Award-winning artist, she is best known for her recordings of rock and popular songs such as "You're No Good," "Blue Bayou," "It's So Easy," and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'."
Ronstadt released 24 studio albums and 15 compilations between 1967 and 2014. She was ranked the 87th greatest female artist of all time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2004.
Ronstadt was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in late 2013, reversing a career that had consisted of several decades of worldwide concert tours, television and radio appearances, recordings, and collaborations with other artists. The effects of the disease on her singing voice forced her to retire permanently from performing in late August of that same year.
Ronstadt passed away on July 16, 2020 (age 74) at her home in San Francisco, California. She had been in declining health for several years due to the effects of the disease.
Ronstadt was the recipient of countless accolades throughout her storied career, including 10 Nominations for the Grammy Awards, winning 3 of them, 4 American Music Awards, 2 Golden Globe Nominations and numerous awards from various music organizations including the Academy of Country Music and the Los Angeles Music Awards. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, the first female artist to be inducted solely on the basis of her music.
Linda Ronstadt's contributions to the music industry are nothing short of legendary, providing an example for generations of female musicians to follow. She was an innovator, a visionary, and an artist of astounding talent. Her presence will be sorely missed but her music will continue to live on and influence generations to come.