Profile of the Day: Linda Ronstadt

Happy birthday to musician Linda Ronstadt! Today the Grammy winner turns 78.

Image: Linda Ronstadt / Nationaal Archief, CC0

Ronstadt was born on July 15, 1946 in Tucson, Arizona to Ruth Copeman and Gilbert Ronstadt, who came from a pioneering Arizona ranching family. Her paternal grandfather, Federico José Maria Ronstadt, was a successful local businessman and wagon maker. In 1991, the city of Tucson dedicated its central transit terminal to him for his early contribution to the city’s mobility. Ronstadt’s maternal grandfather, Lloyd Groff Copeman, was a prolific inventor and held nearly 700 patents, including an early form of the toaster, the first electric stove, and an early form of the microwave.

Growing up, Ronstadt was surrounded by music. Her family often sang Mexican music while her father played the guitar. In 1969, she released her first solo album, Hands Sown…Home Grown. Over the course of her career, Ronstadt has shown her versatility, recording in a wide variety of genres from rock to country to Latin music. She has won 11 Grammy awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.

What’s your favorite Linda Ronstadt song?

Explore Linda Ronstadt’s family tree on Geni and share how you’re connected to the star.