We Ran

The formula for Linda Ronstadt’s massive success in the '70s was relatively simple. She’d pick a sequence of songs from her favorite writers, hire the best rock 'n' roll session men, and then let her vibrant vocals guide the performances. By the '90s, that method of making albums was all but extinct, so it was left to Ronstadt to revive it herself on 1998’s We Ran. This album reunited her with several of her L.A. chums from the '70s, including Bernie Leadon, Waddy Wachtel, and Russ Kunkel. Production is by Glyn Johns (The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Eagles), with contributions from his multi-instrumentalist son Ethan and members of Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers. Among the highlights are “When We Ran” and “If I Should Fall Behind”; both have the worn-in quality of old jeans, with Ronstadt’s voice serving as the diamond belt that holds them up. Anyone who assumes her voice has diminished over the years need only hear “Cry ‘Til My Tears Run Dry,” a majestic reading of Irma Thomas' 1965 R&B showstopper. In every way, Ronstadt lives up to her formidable influences—including her younger self.