Tags: singer | parkinsons | disease | linda ronstadt | heat wave

Linda Ronstadt Opens Up About Living With Parkinson's

(CBS's "Sunday Morning")

Monday, 04 February 2019 03:40 PM EST

In a candid interview, Linda Ronstadt revealed her health has deteriorated to such an extent she "can't even sing in the shower."

The singer and songwriter, known for hits like "Heat Wave," "You're No Good," and "It's So Easy," told "CBS Sunday Morning" correspondent Tracy Smith that she began having issues with her voice in 2000. She was later diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2013.

Ronstadt says she found herself yelling during her concerts, rather than singing. She retired from the stage, and performed her last show in 2009, even before she knew what exactly was afflicting her. But Ronstadt insists she is not angry about the situation.

"When you've been able to do certain things all your life, like put your shoes on and brush your teeth or whatever, you – when you can't do that, you sort of go, 'What's this?'" she said. "You know, what's happening here? Come help me with this.

"And then you have to learn to ask people to help, and that – that took a little doing. But I do that now, because I need the help."

Despite the challenges, Ronstadt believes there is hope for a cure to Parkinson's in the future.

"I'm sure they'll find something eventually," she said. "They're learning so much more about it every day. If not, I mean, I'm 72. We're all going to die. So, they say people usually die with Parkinson's. They don't always die of it because it's so slow-moving.

"So, I'll figure I'll die of something. And I've watched people die, so I'm not afraid of dying. I'm afraid of suffering, but I'm not afraid of dying."

During the wide-ranging conversation, Ronstadt also talked about her life today, her iconic tracks, receiving a National Medal of Arts award, and more. This week, Ronstadt will release her first-ever live album, "Live in Hollywood," which includes 12 songs that were pulled from a 1980 concert originally shot for an HBO special.

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Health-News
Linda Ronstadt's health has deteriorated to such an extent she "can't even sing in the shower," she told CBS's "Sunday Morning" in a candid interview.
singer, parkinsons, disease, linda ronstadt, heat wave
326
2019-40-04
Monday, 04 February 2019 03:40 PM
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