Linda Ronstadt

Released: September 16, 1975

Songwriter: James B. Coats

Producer: Peter Asher

One day a mother went to a prison
To see an erring but precious son
She told the warden how much she loved him
It did not matter what he had done

She did not bring to him a parole or pardon
She brought no silver, no pomp or style
It was a halo bright sent down from heaven's light
The sweetest gift, a mother's smile

She left a smile you can remember
She's gone to heaven from heartaches free
Those walls around you could never change her
You were her baby and e'er will be

She did not bring to him a parole or pardon
She brought no silver, no pomp or style
It was a halo bright sent down from heaven's light
The sweetest gift, a mother's smile

She did not bring to him a parole or pardon
She brought no silver, no pomp or style
It was a halo bright sent down from heaven's light
The sweetest gift, a mother's smile
The sweetest gift, a mother's smile

A multiplatinum-selling recording artist and a true icon in American music, Linda Ronstadt redefined folk rock with her diverse fusion in genres and powerful vocals.

She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2014 and has earned a wide range of nominations, spanning from a Tony Award and a Golden Globe Award. She has charted 38 Billboard Hot 100 singles with 21 of them reaching the top 40. Having collaborated with several artists in many genres, Ronstadt has lent her vocals to over 120 albums and has sold more than 100 million records.

Her last live concert in 2009, marked the end of her career when she retired in 2011, after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and unable to perform.

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Prisoner in Disguise

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Prisoner in Disguise (1975)

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Prisoner in Disguise