Junk Box Jury

Taken from the LP ‘Hand Sown, Hand Grown’ | (Emidisc DAG 112) March 1969 *1976 re-issue

‘Hand Sown, Home Grown’ is a studio album by American singer Linda Ronstadt. It was originally released by Capitol Records in March 1969. Although Linda Ronstadt, Stone Poneys and Friends, Vol. III credited Ronstadt, and Sown, Home Grown’ was the first studio album that solely credited her.

The album consisted of 11 tracks, many of which were covers that fused the country rock and folk genres. The album received a positive response from critics following its release.

Linda Ronstadt had become successful as part of the folk trio the Stone Poneys (which also included Bob Kimmel and Kenny Edwards). In 1967 they had a top 20 single with the song “Different Drum”. 

Then, Edwards and Kimmel left the Stone Poneys in favour of other professional opportunities. Ronstadt had no choice but to have a solo career. Capitol Records wanted to invest in Ronstadt’s solo career as well.

Ronstadt was unsure what to record or perform live because Kimmel composed the songs Ronstadt sung part of the Stone Poneys. Ronstadt remembered the country music of her childhood and began experimenting with it. Her country origins would be the centre of ‘Hand Sown, Home Grown’.

Linda Ronstadt | “The Only Mama That’ll Walk The Line” | (Emidisc)

Ronstadt was told that she was “too country for the rock [radio] stations and too rock for the country [radio] stations”. According to Ronstadt herself, she looked “for musicians who could play songs that had come out of Nashville but with a California twist”.

She teamed up with producer Chip Douglas who previously worked with The Monkees and The Turtles. Douglas helped Ronstadt mix both genres together for the album project.

Several of the album tracks were covers including “Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line” (Ronstadt’s was reworked as “Only Mama That’ll Wall the Line”). The song was reworked by a Nashville publishing company so Ronstadt could sing it from a woman’s perspective.

Two Bob Dylan covers were also included: “Baby, You’ve Been on My Mind” and “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight”. 

Randy Newman‘s “Bet No One Ever Hurt This Bad” was also featured, which was initially on Newman’s self-titled album. The album also included a version of the John D. Loudermilk country song “Break My Mind”.

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cost of record: £4
from: British Heart Foundation