It doesn’t get much better than this, in my opinion. Before the days of instantaneous music gratification, I would drop whatever I was doing and listen when Blue Bayou came on the radio. In fact, I purposely didn’t buy the album because it was such a treat when I heard the song by accident.

Rondstadt rose to fame with the Stone Poneys. I’m not sure which of her big hits — which include Heatwave, You’re No Good, It’s So Easy and a cover of the Rolling Stones’ Tumbling Dice – were made with the band. Ronstadt later teamed with Nelson Riddle, a big band jazz arranger and conductor who worked with Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and a who’s who list of other singers. Here she and Riddle do the Louis Jordan hit Choo Choo Cha’ Boogie.

Several sites are dedicated to Ronstadt. Two are here and here.

by