“Canciones de mi Padre” was inspired Ronstadt’s grandfather, who founded Tucson’s first orchestra in the 1890s.
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When Tucson native Linda Ronstadt was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April, none of the songs from this album were deemed “essential Ronstadt” on the Hall’s blog.
The blog did note, however that Ronstadt is the only artist to win Grammy awards in pop, country, Mexican American and Tropical Latin categories.
She won a Grammy for this album and for its successor, “Mas Canciones.”
For Tucsonans, “Canciones de mi Padre” is the essential Ronstadt. It conveys the ranchera songs transported to this slice of desert by its original settlers, including Ronstadt’s own family.
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Ronstadt is the granddaughter of Sonora-born Federico José María Ronstadt, who came to town as a wheelwright and blacksmith. He spent his working hours building a wagon business and his spare time making music. He founded Tucson’s first orchestra, the Club Filarmonico Tucsonense in the late 1890s.
One of Fred Ronstadt’s daughters was Luisa Espinel, a renowned interpreter of Spanish songs and dances, who collected the songs her father had taught her in a booklet entitled “Canciones de mi Padre.” When Linda Ronstadt crafted an album of songs sung by her father Gilbert, she used the same title.
