Happy Birthday to Linda Ronstadt, who turns 71 on Saturday (July 15th)!!! Despite being born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, Ronstadt, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, came to embody the ’70s California soft-rock sound, alongside such acts as the Eagles and Jackson Browne.  In 2013, Ronstadt published her autobiography, called Simple Dreams, via Simon And Schuster.  The book chronicled her early years, her ’70s super-stardom, her 1980’s career on Broadway, recording standards — and eventually Mexican folk music, all leading up to her 2009 retirement from the business.

In the book, Ronstadt, who has since revealed that she’s battling Parkinson’s disease and is unable to sing anymore, has chosen to take the high road by focusing first and foremost on her musical journey, rather than the seamier portions of her personal life.  In 2015, Linda Ronstadt received the prestigious National Medal of Arts from President Obama at the White House.

Coming on September 22nd will be the 40th anniversary expanded edition of Ronstadt’s chart-topping Simple Dreams album. Simple Dreams, which was produced by Peter Asher, hit Number One on December 3rd, 1977.  The five-week chart-topper snagged Ronstadt three Top 40 hits, with her cover of Roy Orbison‘s “Blue Bayou” peaking at Number Three, her remake of Buddy Holly‘s “It’s So Easy” hitting Number Five, and her version of good friend Warren Zevon‘s “Poor Poor Pitiful Me” topping out at Number 31.  The new collection features three live 1980 recordings of the album’s classic hits.