Linda Ronstadt Day 2022

KXCI’s next day of featured programming is this Friday, July 15th on Linda Ronstadt’s birthday. It will be a day of music and words that focuses on the recordings, heritage, and legacy of Tucson’s most famous musical daughter, but will encompass much more than a single artist. KXCI started Linda Ronstadt Day in 2019 as an annual radio celebration to honor the musical spirit of the Sonoran desert we call home.

Linda Ronstadt seated in front of Mariachi Aztlán de Pueblo High School members. Tucson Mayor Regina Romero renamed the Tucson Convention Center Tucson Music Hall in honor of Linda Ronstadt during the 40th Tucson International Mariachi Festival. Photo credit Paul Ingram for TucsonSentinel.com.

Linda Ronstadt exemplifies the rich heritage and mixing of cultures that our region represents. The roots and branches of Linda Ronstadt’s creative spirit spotlighted Mariachi, folk, jazz, western and Latin music. Her influence not only elevates cultural heritages but continues to inspire rock, pop, country, and contemporary music while uplifting female voices.

There are many musical lines that can be drawn, from Lalo Guererro the father of Chicano music who serenaded Linda as a child, to her backing band becoming The Eagles, to a younger generation represented by Arizona-raised Courtney Marie Andrews, and the youth of Mariachi Aztlán de Pueblo High School who performed during the renaming ceremony of the Tucson Music Hall in her honor.

Linda Ronstadt Day is a multicultural embrace with a strong focus on the feminine creative spirit. This is a legacy we can stand behind and call our own. Join hosts Pepe Galvez, DJ El Toro, Bridgitte Thum, and Hannah Levin with the voices of Linda Ronstadt, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and more on Friday from 7 am to 6 pm, here only on KXCI Community Radio.