Maps of Music

Living in the USA (1978)

Where the lyrics of Living in the USA take you, and where it was really made.

Ronstadt's ninth album is mostly covers of songs other artists had already released, yet it became her third and final No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Key places

Where the album was recorded and mixed (1978)

Recording site The Sound Factory — The Sound Factory is listed as the recording and mixing studio for Living in the USA. Recording ran from May 5 to July 3, 1978. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Living in the USA: ninth studio album by American singer Linda Ronstadt
• Released in September 1978 by Asylum on LP, 8-track and cassette
• Ronstadt's third and final No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart
• Asylum released a CD edition in 1990 (catalog 2-155)
• Collector's editions included red vinyl and a picture disc

Background

• Most of the album consists of songs previously recorded and released by other artists
• Covers include songs by Little Feat, Elvis Presley and Elvis Costello
• Personnel: Don Grolnick on piano, Dan Dugmore and Waddy Wachtel on guitars, Kenny Edwards on bass, Russ Kunkel on drums
• Produced by Peter Asher; recording and mixing by Val Garay

Recording

• Recorded from May 5 to July 3, 1978
• Recorded and mixed at The Sound Factory
• Mixed with the Aphex Aural Exciter system
• Mastered by Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab in Hollywood, California
• David Sanborn plays alto saxophone on tracks 4 and 7

Cover

• Front cover photo shows Ronstadt lacing up roller skating boots
• Photograph by Jim Shea; art direction and design by Kosh
• The same photo appears on the record sleeve of the standard release

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · ja.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career

• Born July 15, 1946 in Tucson, Arizona; American singer across rock, folk, pop, country, and soul.
• In the mid-1960s joined the folk-rock trio the Stone Poneys as lead singer, releasing three albums in 1967–68.
• Solo debut Hand Sown ... Home Grown (1969), described as the first alternative country record by a female recording artist.
• Became the first female "arena class" rock star; top-grossing concert artist of the decade.
• Voted Top Female Pop Singer of the 1970s; "You're No Good" reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
• Worked with producer Nelson Riddle on the Great American Songbook trilogy What's New, Lush Life, and For Sentimental Reasons.
• Recorded Canciones de Mi Padre (1987), the best-selling non-English-language album in US music history.
• Retired in 2011 after losing the ability to sing; later diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy.
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014; Kennedy Center Honoree in 2019.

Formation

• At age 14 formed a folk trio with her brother Peter and sister Gretchen.
• Moved to Los Angeles in 1964 to form a band with Bobby Kimmel.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Reviews at release were largely positive
• The album was made up largely of songs other artists had already recorded and released
• Its covers included songs by Little Feat, Elvis Presley and Elvis Costello
• The first single was Chuck Berry's 'Back in the USA'
• 'Back in the USA' reached number 11 on the Cash Box Top 100 and number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100
• 'Ooh Baby Baby', with David Sanborn on alto sax, hit number 7 Pop and number 2 Easy Listening
• 'Just One Look' and 'Alison' later became hit singles for Ronstadt
• 'All That You Dream' and Warren Zevon's 'Mohammed's Radio' were popular on album-oriented rock stations

Records

• Ronstadt's third and final No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart
• The single 'Ooh Baby Baby' also charted on the Country and Soul charts
• The Japanese release history notes the album's Billboard No. 1 position as its chart highlight

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · ja.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Elvis Costello criticized Ronstadt's cover of 'Alison' after hearing it, though he admitted he liked the money
• Ronstadt asked Costello for other material; he sent her three songs that she recorded for her next album, Mad Love
• After Mad Love came out, Costello again criticized her versions of his songs; in later years he praised her and apologized
• The roller skating cover photo drew attention for boosting skating's popularity in the US at the time
• Ronstadt's 'Love Me Tender' was edited together with Elvis Presley's original into a duet, though it was never released as a single
• Ronstadt covered her last Warren Zevon song on this album, 'Mohammed's Radio'

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · ja.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

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