Linda Ronstadt Opens Up About Battle With Parkinson's Disease
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Linda Ronstadt was once called the "Queen of Rock" and voted top female pop singer of the 1970s.
But now, Parkinson's disease has stolen her voice.
In a telling interview with KCBS Los Angeles, Ronstadt says she's resigned to her diagnosis and the fact that she won't sing again.
"I mean, what can you do? We're all gonna die. So, you have to say, 'Well, I had a good ride,'" she said.
She said if she were to try to sing today, "It wouldn't sound like anything. I can't get to the note. I can't make any quality sound. I can't arrange pitch."
Even though another family member had Parkinson's, Ronstadt's diagnosis last year was still quite a shock.
"I didn't know what was wrong, I just knew I didn't feel well," she said. Ronstadt says she noticed she was dropping things, having trouble doing things like eating and driving.
These days, Ronstadt spends much of her time reading at her home in San Francisco or taking short walks around the neighborhood.
Over five decades, Ronstadt released 31 albums, sold 100 million records and won countless awards, including 11 Grammys. She was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
She has also written a musical memoir titled "Simple Dreams."
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