Simple Dreams

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, presents a compelling narrative. Born into a musical family, her childhood was rich with influences ranging from Gilbert and Sullivan to Mexican folk music, jazz, and opera.

Her artistic curiosity blossomed early, as 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 folk-rock movement was beginning to bloom, paving the way 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 became 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. She describes it all in a voice as beautiful as the one that sang “Heart Like a Wheel”—longing, graceful, and authentic.