”No one can sing with Parkinson’s disease,” Ronstadt said. “No matter how hard you try.” 
Her version of Little Feat’s “Willing”.
Here she’s doing Buddy Holly’s “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore”.
There are far more serious consequences of having Parkinson’s than not being able to sing.
True; but her voice was a gift from God (and I’m not even religious) - to have that gift, use it to its fullest, and then lose it must be heartbreaking. Similar to Julie Andrews.
Why does Parkinson’s prevent someone with it from being able to sing?
According to Wikipedia, dysphonia and dysarthria are symptoms of Parkinson’s, affecting vocal chords and “muscles needed to produce speech,” respectively. It can also cause cognitive problems and, IIRC, hearing problems, all of which would obviously limit a singer’s ability to perform.
Well, for you or me maybe. I’m inclined to agree with WordMan that for her, this must be heartbreaking beyond anything I could relate to.
And even if she were to agree with you that the other consequences are worse for her, the consequence most felt by those of us who do not know her personally but who have loved her music for years will be that we will never get to hear her sing again.
a wonderful singer with half a century career.
Oh, no. No.
That’s no good.
I bought the “Heart Like a Wheel” album three times. It’s the cd that’s always in the car cd player.
Baby that’s no good.
Linda on the Bobby Darin show performing Long Long Time.
I’m sure she’s less sad than most of her fans. Great artists know that they are conduits for something beyond themselves. As WordMan says “her voice was a gift,” and she got to enjoy it, and share it for 5 or 6 decades.
We all grow old and become infirm and it’s not a tragedy it’s just life.
I knew I liked her stuff, but I was surprised when I realized I had over an hour’s worth on my ipod. Great Ronstadt album:Canciones de Mi Padre.
I think I have every song she’s recorded on mine, including those with Nelson Riddle.
When Linda and I start belting out “What’s New?” in the basement while working on a mower or cleaning guns, my wife makes sure to slam the basement door to block out the noise and voice her disapproval of my musical tastes.
I love those old jazz standards, but no one else in my family does.
You kids and your damn rock and/or roll!
Those three Nelson Riddle albums were the soundtrack to my life for about a decade. I used to listen to them almost every day. I think its tragic that she won’t be able to sing again, but at least we have her voice with us forever.
While I didn’t follow pop too closely, a couple of her songs really stuck a chord with me and the quality of her voice was undeniable. Here’s a list of and links to her songs.
You say it like those are mutually exclusive.
When I see some no-talent like Cyrus gyrating on the stage, I chuckle at the memory of the big kerfuffle when Ronstadt appeared on stage in a Girl Scout uniform. Oh, the outrage! But she had that powerful crystal clear voice that made people love her no matter what. Many of today’s singers have no voice to speak of and need to promote sexuality to compensate.
I think it was a Boy Scout uniform.
But yes, just the other day, I was moaning about the days when someone could be a professional singer just by standing there, and you know, singing. With all their clothes on. When the talent was what mattered.