Linda Ronstadt is captivating at Saratoga
by Maggie Bucholt, Bennington Banner, August 16, 1977
Wearing an off-the-shoulder flower print dress and sporting a large red flower in her hair, Linda Ronstadt, the undisputed new queen of country rock, captivated her audience at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Sunday night.
Her performance was flawless, and her magnificent voice rang out sweet and clear as she took her fans down memory lane with “Silver Threads and Golden Needles” and “That’ll Be the Day.”
“Desperado,” a tune made famous by the Eagles, won cheers from the crowd at the onset of its introduction. Her singing of “Poor, Poor Pitiful Me,” a new song written by a Southern California artist that left much to be desired, was greeted with warm applause.
The responsive audience was undoubtedly hers. Instead of taking her fans’ enthusiasm for granted, as many well-honored performers do, Ms. Ronstadt appeared coyly awed by her power, seeming somewhat nervous in trying to make small talk with the audience. Perfectly at home behind her music, she belted out such numbers as Nell Young’s “Love is a Rose” (giving a plug to the album she recently recorded with the composer-singer) and for a finale “You’re No Good.”
Singing the bluesy ballad “Crazy,” Ms. Ronstadt’s talent was evident. Whatever the song, the rich fullness of her voice swept the listener along a soft-padded corridor, gently depositing him or her at rainbow’s end. The musical coordination between the dark-haired singer and her back-up group was excellent.
Not to be overlooked was the Bernie Leadon-Michael Georgiades Band who entertained prior to Ms. Ronstadt’s performance. Their music was well received by the audience.
In chatting with the audience, Ms. Ronstadt noted her last performance at Saratoga was four years ago with James Taylor. Fans from the Saratoga area and beyond would surely agree that her talents should be heard more frequently in this area.
Recent Comments