Greatest Hits (Linda Ronstadt album)

Greatest Hits is Linda Ronstadt's first major compilation album, released at the end of 1976 for the holiday shopping season. It includes material from both her Capitol Records and Asylum Records output, and goes back to 1967 for The Stone Poneys' hit "Different Drum."

Greatest Hits
Greatest hits album by
Linda Ronstadt
ReleasedDecember 1, 1976
Recorded1967, 1970, 1973-1976
GenreRock, country rock, folk rock
Length37:33
LabelAsylum
Producervarious
Linda Ronstadt chronology
Hasten Down the Wind
(1976)		 Greatest Hits
(1976)		 Simple Dreams
(1977)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Christgau's Record GuideB+[2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[3]
Sounds[4]

It remains the biggest-selling album of Ronstadt's career, being certified seven times Platinum (over 7 million US copies shipped) by the Recording Industry Association of America[5] in America alone, with 1.87 million units consumed after 1991 when SoundScan started tracking sales.[6] It peaked at No. 6 on the main Billboard album chart and also reached No. 2 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart, where it remained for over three years.

The album was criticized by the Rolling Stone Record Guide for being "premature," as Ronstadt continued to have record-breaking mainstream successes for many years following this release. By the time this collection came out, however, Ronstadt had already been recording hit records (as a solo artist and with the Stone Poneys) for a decade, and there were many examples of other artists releasing greatest hits albums much sooner, such as Elvis Presley.

In terms of being released while the performer was still in the midst of their career, this collection is unusual for a major artist in that it compiled works from two unrelated labels thanks to, as the sleeve states, a "special arrangement" between Asylum and Capitol; this overlap mirrors the situation in which Ronstadt briefly alternated releasing albums between Capitol and Asylum in 1973–74 in order to fulfil her contract with Capitol.[7]

Track listing

Original release
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."You're No Good"Clint Ballard Jr.3:44
2."Silver Threads and Golden Needles"Jack Rhodes, Dick Reynolds2:20
3."Desperado"Glenn Frey, Don Henley3:30
4."Love Is a Rose"Neil Young2:46
5."That'll Be the Day"Jerry Allison, Buddy Holly, Norman Petty2:32
6."Long, Long Time"Gary White4:21
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Different Drum" (with The Stone Poneys)Mike Nesmith2:45
2."When Will I Be Loved"Phil Everly2:05
3."Love Has No Pride"Eric Kaz, Libby Titus4:10
4."Heat Wave"Holland–Dozier–Holland2:46
5."It Doesn't Matter Anymore"Paul Anka3:26
6."Tracks of My Tears"Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore, Marv Tarplin3:12

CD reissue

The CD reissue of the album was compiled with Ronstadt's second greatest hits collection and released by Rhino records in 2007 as Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 & 2.[8]

No.TitleLength
1."You're No Good"3:40
2."Silver Threads and Golden Needles"2:20
3."Desperado"3:30
4."Love is a Rose"2:46
5."That'll Be the Day"2:32
6."Long, Long Time"4:21
7."Different Drum"2:45
8."When Will I Be Loved"2:05
9."Love Has No Pride"4:10
10."Heat Wave"2:46
11."It Doesn't Matter Anymore"3:26
12."Tracks of My Tears"3:12
No.TitleLength
13."It's So Easy"2:26
14."I Can't Let Go"2:43
15."Hurt So Bad"3:12
16."Blue Bayou"3:54
17."How Do I Make You"2:21
18."Back in the U.S.A."3:02
19."Ooo Baby Baby"3:18
20."Poor Poor Pitiful Me"3:41
21."Tumbling Dice"3:05
22."Just One Look"3:15
23."Someone to Lay Down Beside Me"3:58

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[17] 4× Platinum 280,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[18] Platinum 100,000^
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[19] Gold 10,000*
United States (RIAA)[20] 7× Platinum 7,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

From the Liner Notes on the Original Vinyl Album.

  • Peter Asher: Cabasa, Cowbell, Trombone and Shaker, Hand Claps, Wood Block, and Percussion.
  • Ed Black: Guitar, Steel Guitar
  • Michael Botts: Drums
  • Mike Bowden: Bass
  • Richard Bowden: Electric Guitar
  • John Boylan: Keyboards
  • Richard Burden: Guitar
  • John Connor: Harmonica
  • Dan Dugmore: Steel Guitar
  • Kenny Edwards: Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Backing Vocal
  • Chris Ethridge: Bass
  • Jim Fadden: Harmonica
  • Don Francisco: Backing Vocals
  • Andrew Gold: Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocal, Drums, Electric Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Tambourine, Piano, Arp, Congas, Hand Claps
  • Jim Gordon: Saxophone
  • Gib Guilbeau: Fiddle
  • Ginger Holliday: Backing Vocal
  • Mary Holliday: Backing Vocal
  • Andy Johnson: Electric Guitar
  • Mac Johnson: Trumpet
  • David Kemper: Drums
  • Clyde King: Backing Vocals
  • Sneaky Pete Kleinow: Steel Guitar
  • Danny Kortchmar: Electric Guitar
  • Russ Kunkel: Drums
  • Bernie Leadon: Acoustic Guitar
  • Daryl Leonard: Trumpet
  • David Lindley: Fiddle
  • Gail Martin: Trombone
  • Shirley Matthews: Backing Vocals
  • Marty McCall: Backing Vocals
  • Mickey McGee: Drums
  • Weldon Myrick: Steel Guitar
  • Spooner Oldham: Piano
  • Herb Pedersen: Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocal, Banjo
  • Norbert Putnam: Bass, Harpsichord
  • Don Randi: Harpsichord
  • Lyle Ritz: Concertmaster
  • Linda Ronstadt: Vocals, Tambourine, Hand Claps, Backing Vocals
  • John David Souther: Guitar
  • Buddy Spicher: Fiddle
  • Dennis St. John: Drums
  • Nino Tempo: Saxophone
  • Al Viola: Acoustic Guitar
  • Waddy: Electric Guitar
  • Pete Wade: Guitar
  • Bob Warford: Acoustic Guitar

Producers
  • Peter Asher: 1, 4, 5, 8,10,11,12
  • John Boylan: 9
  • John David Souther: 2,3
  • Elliot F. Mazer: 6
  • Nikolas Venet: 7

Release history
Release history and formats for Greatest Hits
Region Date Format Label Ref.
North America December 1, 1976
  • LP
  • cassette
 Asylum Records [21]

See also

References
  1. Allmusic review
  2. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: R". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 12, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  3. Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 701. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. rolling stone linda ronstadt album guide.
  4. Charone, Barbara (25 December 1976). "The Best of George Harrison (Asylum K53055)" (PDF). Sounds. p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 January 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  5. "Searchable Database - Search: Linda Ronstadt". RIAA. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
  6. Bjorke, Matt (January 7, 2020). "Country Music's Most-Consumed Albums Chart for January 7, 2020". RoughStock. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  7. Moore, Mary Ellen (1978). The Linda Ronstadt Scrapbook: An Illustrated Biography. New York: Grosset & Dunlap. p. 61. ISBN 0-441-48411-5.
  8. Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 & 2 at AllMusic. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
  9. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 258. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  10. "Linda Ronstadt | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  11. "Linda Ronstadt Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  12. "Linda Ronstadt Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  13. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1977". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  14. "1977 Talent in Action" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 89, no. 51. December 24, 1977. p. 88. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 28, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  15. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1978". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  16. "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1978". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  17. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2000 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  18. "Canadian album certifications – Linda Ronstadt – Greatest Hits". Music Canada. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  19. "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1979". IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  20. "American album certifications – Linda Ronstadt – Greatest Hits". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  21. Ronstadt, Linda (December 1, 1976). "Greatest Hits (Liner Notes)". Asylum Records. 7E-1092 (LP); TC5-5106 (Cassette).
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