The trajectory of a musical career is rarely a linear progression of increasing satisfaction; rather, it is often a complex series of experiments, redirections, and periods of self-reflection. For Linda Ronstadt, one of the most versatile and celebrated vocalists in the history of American popular music, the process of looking back at her extensive discography has occasionally resulted in surprising admissions of dissatisfaction. Despite her reputation for vocal perfection, Ronstadt has expressed significant reservations regarding her 1989 album, Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind. This period of her career, marked by massive commercial success and critical acclaim, remains a point of contention for the artist herself, who later suggested that her technical proficiency and emotional connection to the material at the time did not meet her own rigorous standards.
The nature of artistic evolution dictates that as a performer grows in skill and life experience, their earlier works may begin to appear unrefined or even "trite." This phenomenon is not unique to Ronstadt, but her candor regarding a record that many consider a high-water mark of late-80s adult contemporary music provides a unique window into the psyche of a perfectionist. While the public celebrated the lush arrangements and the soaring duets with Aaron Neville, Ronstadt’s internal assessment was far more critical, focusing on her perceived inability to "inhabit" the songs during the initial recording process.
The Artistic Landscape of 1989 and the Genesis of the Album
By the late 1980s, Linda Ronstadt had already successfully navigated several radical shifts in musical direction. After dominating the 1970s as the "Queen of Rock," she pivoted in the early 1980s to traditional pop standards with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, followed by a highly successful foray into traditional Mexican mariachi music with Canciones de Mi Padre (1987). By 1989, there was significant industry pressure and fan anticipation for Ronstadt to return to the contemporary pop-rock sound that had originally defined her stardom.
Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind was envisioned as a grand return to form, but with a more sophisticated, orchestral edge. Produced by her long-time collaborator Peter Asher and recorded at George Lucas’s Skywalker Ranch, the album featured the Skywalker Symphony Orchestra and a massive supporting cast of musicians. The production was expensive, polished, and designed to showcase the sheer power of Ronstadt’s voice.
The inclusion of Aaron Neville was a pivotal creative decision. The duo’s chemistry provided the album with its emotional core, particularly on tracks like "Don’t Know Much" and "All My Life." To the listening public, the album represented a pinnacle of vocal performance. However, for Ronstadt, the technical demands of the studio environment and the selection of material created a disconnect that would only become apparent to her in hindsight.
Critical Self-Analysis: Why Ronstadt Regretted the Recording
In later interviews, Ronstadt was remarkably blunt about her performance on the 1989 record. Her primary critique centered on two areas: her vocal technique and her relationship with the repertoire. "I didn’t know how to sing then," she stated in a conversation with Route Magazine. "I was doing songs that I really didn’t relate to. I didn’t do them as well on the record as I did them on stage after I had them in my mouth for a while."
This concept of "having songs in her mouth" is a common sentiment among seasoned vocalists. It refers to the muscle memory and emotional nuance that develops only after a song has been performed live dozens, or even hundreds, of times. In the studio, a singer is often interpreting a piece of music that is relatively new to them. For a singer of Ronstadt’s caliber, the difference between a "good" studio take and a "lived-in" live performance was, in her mind, the difference between artifice and authenticity.
Ronstadt also expressed regret over her ability to select material during that era. While the album featured songs by esteemed writers like Jimmy Webb, Karla Bonoff, and Isaac Hayes, Ronstadt felt she had not yet mastered the art of choosing songs that truly resonated with her personal experience. This lack of connection, she argued, resulted in a performance that felt more like a technical exercise than a genuine emotional expression.
Commercial Success vs. Personal Satisfaction: The Data
The irony of Ronstadt’s self-criticism lies in the album’s overwhelming success. From a data-driven perspective, Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind was one of the most successful ventures of her career. The discrepancy between her personal feelings and the market’s response highlights the subjective nature of musical quality.
Key performance indicators for the album include:
- Chart Performance: The album peaked at Number 7 on the Billboard 200 and remained on the charts for over a year.
- Certifications: It was certified Triple Platinum by the RIAA, representing over three million copies sold in the United States alone.
- Grammy Awards: The album earned Ronstadt and Aaron Neville two Grammy Awards for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "Don’t Know Much" (1990) and "All My Life" (1991).
- Single Success: "Don’t Know Much" reached Number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Number 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
Despite these accolades, Ronstadt maintained that the live versions of these songs—honed during the subsequent world tour—were the superior iterations. She believed her voice had matured and gained a depth that was missing from the "stiff" environment of the Skywalker Ranch sessions.
The Role of Production and the "Skywalker" Sound
The late 1980s were a time of high-gloss production values in the music industry. Peter Asher, known for his meticulous attention to detail, utilized the best technology available at the time. The use of a full symphony orchestra gave the album a cinematic quality, but this level of production can sometimes mask the raw vulnerability of a singer’s voice.
Some musicologists suggest that Ronstadt’s dissatisfaction may stem from the "over-produced" nature of the era. The 1989 sound was characterized by digital reverb, pristine layering, and a lack of the "grit" found in her 1970s recordings like Heart Like a Wheel. For an artist who valued the tradition of folk and Mexican regional music—genres defined by their organic honesty—the polished artifice of a Triple Platinum pop record may have felt increasingly alien as the years passed.
Chronology of Ronstadt’s Vocal Development
To understand why Ronstadt felt she "didn’t know how to sing" in 1989, one must look at her career chronology. Ronstadt is unique in that she sought out formal vocal training relatively late in her career.
- The 1970s: She relied on natural talent and a powerful "belt," which, while effective, was taxing on her vocal cords.
- The Early 1980s: Her work with Nelson Riddle forced her to learn breath control and phrasing required for the Great American Songbook.
- The Late 1980s: Her return to pop with Cry Like a Rainstorm caught her in a transitional phase where she was blending these new disciplines with her older rock sensibilities.
- The 1990s and Beyond: It was during this period that Ronstadt felt she finally achieved a mastery of her instrument, allowing her to look back at 1989 as a period of "incomplete" development.
Broader Implications for the Music Industry and Artist Legacy
Linda Ronstadt’s willingness to critique her own "perfect" work serves as an important case study in the music industry. It challenges the notion that commercial success is the ultimate barometer of artistic achievement. When an artist of her stature admits to "not knowing what they were doing" while winning Grammys, it humanizes the creative process and encourages a deeper look at the evolution of performance.
Furthermore, her comments highlight the tension between the recording studio and the live stage. In the modern era, where "perfection" can be manufactured through pitch correction and digital editing, Ronstadt’s preference for the "lived-in" vocal underscores the value of human experience in music. Her admission that she needed to have the songs "in her mouth" for a while before they were ready serves as a critique of the industry’s rush to produce content.
Conclusion: The Perennial Perfectionist
Linda Ronstadt’s legacy is secure as one of the greatest vocalists of the 20th century. Her critique of Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind does not diminish the album’s impact on fans or its place in music history; rather, it enriches our understanding of her as an artist who was never satisfied with "good enough."
For Ronstadt, the journey was always about the pursuit of a specific vocal truth. If she felt she missed the mark in 1989, it was only because her internal compass was set toward a level of excellence that few others could even perceive. While the world heard a Triple Platinum masterpiece, Ronstadt heard a singer still searching for her true voice—a search that would eventually lead her to become one of the most technically proficient and emotionally resonant performers in history. Her candor remains a refreshing reminder that for the true artist, the work is never truly finished, and the most important critic is the one in the mirror.
