Linda Ronstadt Honored at the Kennedy Center for Her Incredible Career and Legacy

In December 2019, the legendary Linda Ronstadt was honored at the prestigious John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as part of the 42nd Annual Kennedy Center Honors. This special event paid tribute to Ronstadt’s extraordinary impact on American music and culture. Her career has spanned decades and touched nearly every genre of music, from rock, country, and pop to Latin, opera, and the Great American Songbook.

A Night of Music, Love, and Respect for Linda Ronstadt

The tribute concert for Linda Ronstadt was a star-studded affair, held at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, D.C., on December 8, 2019. Hosted by Don Henley, the evening featured powerful performances from some of the biggest names in music.

Full Setlist of the Tribute Concert:

• Blue Bayou – Carrie Underwood

• When Will I Be Loved – Carrie Underwood

• La Cigarra – Flor de Toloache

• You’re No Good – Trisha Yearwood

• Don’t Know Much – Aaron Neville & Trisha Yearwood

Other contributors included:

• Mireya Ramos (vocals, violin)

• Shae Fiol (vihuela)

• Julia Acosta (vocals, trumpet)

• Elena Lacayo (guitarón)

• Aaron Neville (vocals)

• Emmylou Harris (spoken-word tribute)

• Kevin Kline (spoken-word tribute)

The show was beautifully produced, with moving moments, heartfelt speeches, and musical performances that reminded everyone why Linda Ronstadt’s voice and influence remain unmatched.

Linda Ronstadt’s Unparalleled Career

Born on July 15, 1946, in Tucson, Arizona, Linda Ronstadt’s career spans over five decades. Throughout her lifetime, she has earned:

• 11 Grammy Awards

• 3 American Music Awards

• 2 Academy of Country Music Awards

• An Emmy Award

• An ALMA Award

She has also been nominated for a Tony Award and a Golden Globe Award. Ronstadt was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 and has been recognized with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2016) and the National Medal of Arts and Humanities (2014).

In 2019, she joined fellow icons Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for their legendary collaboration as Trio.

Ronstadt’s Remarkable Legacy in Music

Linda Ronstadt has released:

• 24 studio albums

• 15 compilation or greatest hits albums

• 36 albums charted on Billboard

• 21 singles in the Billboard Top 40

• 10 Top 10 singles

• 1 Number One single: “You’re No Good”

Her collaborations include working with Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Bette Midler, Neil Young, Johnny Cash, Frank Zappa, and many more. Music critics continue to praise her vocal versatility and strength, often calling her voice “one of the finest of her generation.”

A Courageous Personal Journey

In 2011, Ronstadt announced her retirement from performing after her singing voice was affected by a degenerative condition, later diagnosed as progressive supranuclear palsy. Despite this, she has continued to make public appearances, publish her autobiography “Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir” (2013), and participate in public speaking engagements. In 2019, the documentary “Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice” was released to critical acclaim.

Watch Highlights of Linda Ronstadt’s Kennedy Center Honors Tribute Here: