Linda Ronstadt’s tour through the Great American Songbook was inspired by the records her mother played for her as a child. In the late 80s, she decided it was time to honor the music of her father.

Ronstadt’s Mexican roots trace back through her father, Gilbert, whose grandfather emigrated from Germany to Mexico and met his wife there. Mexican music was a major part of both Gilbert’s and Linda’s childhoods.

Ronstadt had written a Spanish-language song for an early album, and recorded a Spanish version of ‘Blue Bayou’ as a standalone single, but now she embarked on an ambitious project to celebrate the Mariachi tradition on a studio album.

Canciones de Mi Padre was released in late 1987 and found Ronstadt giving full-throated voice to traditional Mexican songs. Backing her were the three Mariachi bands considered the best in the world, assembled on one recording for the first time.

It was a smash hit, selling more than 10 million copies worldwide and more than 2 million in the U.S. (it remains the best-selling Spanish-language album in American history). It also earned Ronstadt her fourth Grammy, this one for Best Mexican-American Performance (the Grammys have a category for everything).

In 1991, Ronstadt released a second set of Mariachi songs on the appropriately titled Mas Canciones. A year later, she released Frenesí, a collection of Spanish-language standards in the bolero and mambo traditions. Each of those albums took home Grammys as well.

My Spanish isn’t strong enough to know exactly what she’s saying on any of these albums, but the songs showcase her powerful, versatile vocals even better than her English-language material. I loved listening to every one.