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Simon and Schuster released Linda Ronstadt's memoir, Simple Dreams on September 17, 2013. The title echos her 1990 album of the same title, which included covers of Buddy Holly's "It's So Easy," Roy Orbison's "Blue Bayou," the traditional "I Never Will Marry," the Rolling Stones' "Tumbling Dice" and Warren Zevon's "Carmelita" and "Poor Poor Pitiful Me." The title, I'm guessing comes from a song on that album, J. D. Souther's "Simple Man, Simple Dream.
In the course of promoting her book, Ronstadt appeared on Fresh Air September 17. She talked about how she had already stopped performing before she received the diagnosis which explained why she was having more and more trouble controlling her singing voice: Parkinson's disease.
So I was surprised, when a friend told me at the Richard Thompson concert at the Lyric Friday night that she saw Linda Ronstadt was on Letterman recently, even after her diagnosis of Parkinson's--singing with Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton. Does anyone know about a link?
I'm wondering, if instead, it were a re-broadcast of this performance of Neil Young's "After the Goldrush" from their album Trio II (recorded in 1994, but released in 1999). According to Nashville Business Journal, the three promoted their album on Letterman March 24 of that year.
The reason I'm guessing it was a re-broadcast is because most Letterman appearances are associated with new releases. For instance, Harris is currently promoting an album with Rodney Crowell (not Parton and Ronstadt) and appeared earlier this year with Crowell on Letterman. (Harris is now on a concert tour with Crowell, which includes some performances with Richard Thompson...)
For those of you who enjoyed the Fresh Air Interview, you might enjoy this one from earlier this year at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.
