Continuing my deep dive into the career of Linda Ronstadt…

I wrote about Ronstadt’s eighth album, Simple Dreams, during my Decades look at the year 1977. But it holds such an important place in her career that I had to give it another post today.

This is the best-selling album in her catalog, going 3X Platinum and knocking Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours from the #1 spot after 29 straight weeks. It was her fifth straight million-selling album (a record for a female artist) and the second highest seller by a woman after Carole King’s Tapestry.

In short, this was the pinnacle of Ronstadt’s career as a country rock crooner, capping off a run of four albums that found her well ahead of the pack creatively and commercially. She would find tremendous success in many different arenas in the decades to come, but this is where she cemented her legendary status.

If I had to recommend just one Linda Ronstadt album, it would likely be this one. Its ten tracks offer an impressive view of her range both vocally and stylistically. She brings new life to classics (Buddy Holly’s ‘It’s So Easy’ and The Rolling Stones’ ‘Tumbling Dice’) and wrings beautiful pathos out of the lesser-known tracks.

And in ‘Blue Bayou,’ she delivers one of the all-time great performances, making the Roy Orbison track entirely her own.

Simple Dreams is 31 minutes of pure bliss.