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At 78, Linda Ronstadt FINALLY ADMITS What We All Suspected
For decades, Linda Ronstadt has been regarded as one of the most versatile and gifted voices in American music. From her groundbreaking work in rock, country, and folk to her explorations in Latin music and opera, she has been celebrated as a fearless artist who refused to be confined by genre. Yet behind her success, there has long been speculation among fans about the personal struggles and quiet truths that shaped her journey. Now, at 78, Ronstadt has finally spoken openly about something many have long suspected.
In a recent interview, the iconic singer revealed that her battle with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP)—a rare neurological disorder that mimics Parkinson’s disease—began affecting her voice years before she was formally diagnosed. “I knew something was wrong,” she admitted. “I couldn’t sing the way I used to, and it felt like my voice was slipping away from me before I understood why.”
This revelation confirms what many fans had quietly wondered when she announced her retirement from singing in 2011. At the time, Ronstadt cited vocal issues but did not go into detail. Now, she is candid about the emotional weight of losing the ability that defined her career. “Singing was as natural to me as breathing,” she said. “When it started to disappear, I felt like I was losing a part of myself.”
The admission struck a deep chord with her fans, many of whom have followed her journey since her rise in the late 1960s. They remember her powerful, soaring performances—whether belting out “You’re No Good” on stage or delivering the tender emotion of “Blue Bayou.” For those who revered her artistry, her words felt like the confirmation of a silent battle she had been fighting in private.
Ronstadt explained that she kept much of her struggle to herself for years, not out of secrecy, but because she was still processing it. “I didn’t want people to see me as broken,” she shared. “I wanted them to remember the music the way it was meant to be heard.”
Despite her illness, Ronstadt has remained active as a speaker, advocate, and storyteller, sharing her life through interviews, documentaries, and her memoir. She continues to inspire younger artists, not only with her extraordinary body of work but with her resilience and honesty.
Fans responded with an outpouring of love on social media, with messages of support flooding in from around the world. “Linda’s voice shaped my childhood,” one fan wrote. “Her courage now is as inspiring as her music ever was.”
At 78, Linda Ronstadt may no longer be able to sing, but her legacy is as vibrant as ever. By finally admitting what many had suspected, she has given her fans something beyond music—she has given them truth, vulnerability, and a reminder that even the strongest voices sometimes face silence. Yet in that silence, her impact continues to echo, timeless and unshakable.
