Now Available: Linda Ronstadt, Canciones de Mi Padre / Mas Canciones

One of the hallmarks of Linda Ronstadt’s career has been her ability to bounce between musical styles and genres with remarkable easy, successfully turning in albums based in rock, folk, country and western, swing, and many others. One of her most successful switch-ups, however, came in 1987, when she delivered a Spanish-language album that sold over two million copies and spawned a sequel.

Canciones de Mi Padre: It would be fair to say that nobody saw the success of this album coming, but going double platinum spells success in just about anyone’s eyes. The title of the album is a reference to a booklet published by Ronstadt’s aunt, Luisa Espinel, herself a singer in the 1920s, whereas Ronstadt’s vocal delivery was influenced by Mexican singer Lola Beltran. In addition to selling 2.5 million copies, Canciones de Mi Padre also won the Grammy Award for Best Mexican / Mexican-American Album.

Mas Canciones: After the tremendous success of her 1989 album Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind, Ronstadt pretty much had carte blanche to go in whatever musical direction she wanted, so she went back to Mexico. As she acknowledged in a 1991 New York Times interview, she made Mas Canciones because her subconscious all but forced her to do it. “I found myself sleeping and dreaming in Spanish, and these songs were driving me crazy,” said Ronstadt. “I kept waking up in the middle of the night thinking that the musicians who know this music are old, and if they go I won't have anybody to help me do it. I didn't dare put it off another minute.” While it didn’t sell as impressively as its predecessor, it did match it in one capacity: it also won the Grammy for Best Mexican / Mexican-American Album.