20 Country Albums Every Rock Fan Should Listen To
15. The Very Best Of Linda Ronstadt - Linda Ronstadt
As the '70s rock scene started to mellow out in California, you could see a few elements of country popping up left, right and centre. Whether it was the sounds of underground acts like Poco or singer-songwriters like Jackson Browne, there were countless bands coming to the forefront with songs that were one part Hank Williams and another part Rolling Stones. Even though things were firmly centered around the band dynamic, Linda Ronstadt arrived with a voice as big as a skyscraper.
More of a singles artist than a proper studio album queen, this assortment of classics has everything you really need from her glory period in the '70s. Whereas most of these songs tend to be relics from the R&B and old school era of rock and roll, the focus is decidedly country, as Ronstadt acts like a siren across every single instrumental.
Don't let that think that's the only string to her bow though, as she snaps from the heartache of When Will I Be Loved to the barnburning tale of dropping a man on You're No Good, which would be covered by none other than Van freaking Halen . Given the amount of muscle behind these tracks, it's no wonder one of Ronstadt's earliest backing bands would later become the Eagles. They might not be country players, and these might not be country songs...the country is all in that voice, which is enough for any music fan.