Ronstadt’s “Blue Bayou” In Rare Recording
When it was released in 1977, Linda Ronstadt’s eighth studio album Simple Dreams became a multi-week Number One for the singer, spawning multiple hit singles and going on to sell more than three million copies. On September 15th, the album will be given a deluxe reissue in recognition of its 40th anniversary. In addition to the original sequence of tracks on Simple Dreams, the reissue includes three previously unreleased live recordings pulled from a 1980 HBO concert special. One of those live tracks is “Blue Bayou,” which Rolling Stone Country is exclusively premiering here. The track shows off Ronstadt’s remarkable vocal range, as she shifts from a velvety croon in the verses to a pitch-perfect belt in the performance’s chorus. She’s backed by a crack band that includes Ross Kunkel, Dan Dugmore, Kenny Edwards, Bob Glaub, and Little Feat’s Billy Payne.
