What Is Linda Ronstadt's Net Worth?
Linda Ronstadt is an American singer who has a net worth of $130 million. Linda Ronstadt is known for her work spanning a wide range of genres, everything from light opera and country to rock and Latin music. She is the winner of 10 Grammy Awards, three American Music Awards, and an Emmy Award, among many others.
Her journey in music began in the mid-1960s with the folk-rock group The Stone Poneys. The band's hit "Different Drum" propelled Linda into the spotlight, setting the stage for her solo career. Ronstadt's solo career took off in the 1970s, establishing her as a leading figure in the country-rock genre. Her album "Heart Like a Wheel" (1974) was a critical and commercial success, featuring hits like "You're No Good" and "When Will I Be Loved." This success was a testament to her ability to blend rock and country music, appealing to a wide range of audiences.
In the late 1970s and 1980s, Ronstadt continued to diversify her musical repertoire. She ventured into pop, rock, and country music with albums like "Simple Dreams" and "Mad Love." Her adaptability and vocal prowess were evident in these works, with songs like "Blue Bayou" and "It's So Easy" becoming major hits.
Ronstadt's exploration of different genres didn't stop there. She significantly contributed to the revival of American standards, recording several albums of traditional pop standards with bandleader and arranger Nelson Riddle. Albums like "What's New" and "Lush Life" showcased her ability to interpret classic songs with a fresh and contemporary approach.
In the late 1980s, Linda returned to her roots with the release of "Canciones de Mi Padre," an album of traditional Mexican music. This album, the biggest-selling non-English-language album in American record history, was a tribute to her Mexican-American heritage and demonstrated her deep respect and love for traditional music.
Early Life
Linda Maria Ronstadt was born on July 15, 1946, in Tucson, Arizona. She is the third of four children born to Gilbert Ronstadt and Ruth Mary (née Copeman) Ronstadt. Her father worked as a machinery merchant and ran the company F. Ronstadt Co.; her mother was a homemaker. Linda and her three siblings grew up on their family's ranch, which featured 10 acres of land. She is of German, English, and Mexican ancestry.
Linda Ronstadt at the 1984 Grammy Awards. (via Getty)
Music Career
Linda Ronstadt started her music career in the 1960s, first in a folk trio with her siblings Peter and Gretchen. They played at various small venues around town in Tucson. Then, in 1964, Ronstadt left college after only spending a semester at the University of Arizona, and she moved to Los Angeles, California. There, she partnered with her friend Bobby Kimmel and his friend Kenny Edwards, and the three of them formed the trio the Stone Poneys. Ronstadt served as the lead singer, and they were signed to Capitol Records in 1966. In 1969, Linda went solo and released what is considered the first alternative record by a female artist, "Hand Sown… Home Grown" (1969). She continued to develop her reputation in California's emerging folk rock and country rock scenes during the late 1960s and early 1970s and toured with famous musicians like The Doors and Neil Young.
The popularity of her albums in the 1970s, such as "Heart Like a Wheel" (1974), "Simple Dreams" (1977), and "Living in the USA" (1978), helped establish her as one of the first female rock stars, and she was often referred to as the "Queen of Rock" or the "First Lady of Rock." In addition to her music and sound, Ronstadt was equally famous for her rock-and-roll image; she graced the covers of publications like "Rolling Stone," "Newsweek," and "Time" multiple times.
During the 1980s, Linda did not slow down, and her albums "Mad Love," "What's New," "Canciones de Mi Padre," and "Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind" were all certified multi-platinum.
Over the course of her long and illustrious music career, Ronstadt has worked with artists such as Bette Midler, Frank Zappa, Dolly Parton, Neil Young, and Johnny Cash, to name just a few. She has been featured on more than 120 albums. Selling more than 100 million records has made her one of the best-selling artists of all time. Her 30 studio albums have contained 38 singles on the "Billboard" Hot 100 charts. While she has had ten Top 10 hits, her only #1 single was "You're No Good." Most of her records are certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum, an impressive feat. Ronstadt released her last full-length album in 2006, performed her last live concert in 2009, and announced her retirement from music in 2011. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. In 2011, she received the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2016, she received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Other Projects
Outside of music, some of Ronstadt's pursuits include writing and acting. In 2013, she released her autobiography, "Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir." It was published by Simon & Schuster. There is also a Spanish version of the book, "Sueños Sencillos – Memorias Musicales."
In addition to her many television appearances as herself, on shows like "Saturday Night Live," "Playboy After Dark" (1970), "The Muppet Show" (1980), and "The Simpsons" (1992), Linda has dabbled in musicals. She played the part of Mabel Stanley in the television film version of "The Pirates of Penzance" in 1980. She reprised this role in a Broadway production of the show (1981-1982), for which she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. She once again played Mabel Stanley in the feature film version of "The Pirates of Penzance" (1983) alongside Kevin Kline and Angela Lansbury, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.
Personal Life
As her fame grew, Ronstadt's personal life became increasingly public. The interest in her personal life was partly fueled by her relationship with then-Governor of California Jerry Brown during the late 1970s. Not only did Ronstadt and Brown appear on the cover of "Newsweek" magazine together in April 1979, they were featured on the covers of magazines like "US Weekly" and "People." She dated actor and comedian Jim Carrey in 1983, although they split up after just eight months together. In late 1983, she became engaged to director George Lucas; they broke up in 1988. Despite her many high-profile relationships, Ronstadt has never married. However, she did adopt two children independently: a daughter, Mary Clementine, in December 1990 and a son, Carlos, in 1994.
In 2013, it was announced that Linda could no longer sing due to Parkinson's disease, which resulted in a loss of muscular control. This diagnosis was later reversed in 2019, and she was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy. The reason behind the misdiagnosis is that Parkinson's and progressive supranuclear palsy show many similar symptoms.
Real Estate
Linda previously owned an impressive oceanfront mansion in Malibu, which she definitely should have held onto because decades later, an owner sold it for $16 million. Today, Linda maintains homes in San Francisco and Tucson.
