Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
[00:00:06] Speaker B: Welcome back to the Nathan's and Roncast. My name is Michael G. Ronstadt, and usually these episodes I call a mini episode.
But unfortunately, my cousin Bobby Ronstadt, who he featured in season one, passed away on March 30th.
Now, Bobby has done a lot of things. He was born in 1953, the same year my dad was. He lived in Tucson, had a lot of bands.
He went to Los Angeles, lived out there, performed all around, moved back to Tucson in 1994. And I remember he worked at Alpha Graphics because he was kind of a specialist with printing and everything, so if we needed special printing done, he would be the guy to talk to. And then in 1999, I got to do some of my early studio work with him on his album Shadows in a Dream. And that album specifically cued me into the genius of his songwriting. And I became a fan, not just because I was related, but because his music had all the elements that made it exciting to listen to. It had quirkiness, it had predictability. It had lyrics that made sense, said something. But it had lyrics that were kind of funny and lyrics that were very serious. It had the entire package. It featured so many Ronstadt family members, and Bobby was that way. He was generous with his time, with his spirit. He showed up to concerts, and he wanted to feature the musicians he loved. He even brought me in on a track called My Loves, which has a cello solo from when I was in 9th grade. And the vibrato is as wide as maybe 20 million semi trucks. But I'm really proud of that because I think I played in tune, and it was one of my early recording sessions, which set me on a path into the recording world and probably shaped my ideas around songwriting, turning me into the songwriter I am today. Now, in this episode, this little mini episode, I am going to make a big episode, and it's going to be my tribute to my cousin Bobby Ronstadt, who I really miss, and I want the world to know his music. So we're going to start with the song he wrote called Lupe. And if you hear any harmony vocals that sound familiar, that is Linda Ronstadt. I also was one of the arrangers on the string quartet. I did not play cello on this string quartet. It's the Tucson Symphony musicians doing it. But I had a big hand in arranging it. So it was my first arranging gig, and I got to do that with my cousin Bobby and my Aunt Linda. So that's kind of fun. Enjoy.
[00:04:12] Speaker C: Mother of four brothers, different in every way and many others, more of them Every day making their own way.
[00:04:30] Speaker A: Lupe.
[00:04:33] Speaker C: Mama Lupe Guadalupe can you hear me?
She lived life simple, humble and lovingly.
And to the end she believed in the mystery why can't we all see Lupe Grandma Lupe Guadalupe can you have.
[00:05:14] Speaker A: Of me.
[00:06:01] Speaker C: Brothers in hardware A lawyer in Mexico Even in Washington Move down to Tennessee and home where will we all go?
Lupe Mama Lulupe Guadalupe do you know?
Mother of many hundreds of progeny so many times, so many memories Prodigal lady Lupe Grandma Lupe Guadalupe thank you. From me.
[00:07:19] Speaker B: That was Lupe by Bobby ronstadt from his 1999 album Shadows in the Dream. Next we're going to go to a track on that same album called Stranglehold. And it really speaks to me because the hook of the song is that, you know, when he was a young man, music took a strangle hold on him. And if you're a musician in this world, doing that art, because you have to, you know, that feeling.
[00:07:58] Speaker C: I'm coming to be who knows what I'll say I hope it'll be something for me Something, something from you there's so many turns and so many burns I hope I can learn some way to earn another turnaround When I was a young man growing up Wondering what I wanted to be wondering why I and we could be wondering what a wonderful thing it is to have a mind to wonder where it is they're coming for.
[00:09:09] Speaker A: Me.
[00:09:11] Speaker C: I gotta go see what I wanna be I wanna be free I wanna be me they're coming for you, you gotta go too See what you can do do it for you, don't do it for me When I was a young man growing up Wondering what They took a stranglehold on me Had a bout with insanity to sing the song and wonder where I went wrong we're coming to be who knows what we'll see I hope it'll be something from me Something for you they're coming for me I gotta go see what I wanna be I wanna be free I wanna be me Just wan.
[00:10:52] Speaker B: We're going to jump right into a track called Terror from the same album. And this features all his sisters singing background vocals. So enjoy.
[00:11:31] Speaker C: There's a terror in my heart Tearing me apart don't know what to do so in love with you it's like a hammer in my heart beating it apart don't know how to handle feeling I don't know you Take you by the hand Take you to a show and show you what it means to be with me I thought we could Be so happy in love but now you're gone Somebody else and I'm back on the shelf by now you ought to know how to show you but you don't seem to want to know Take you by the hand Take you at the dance and show you how it feels to dance with me I thought we could be so happy in love but now there's tearing my heart tearing me apart don't know what to do still in love with you it's like a hammer in my heart it apart don't know how to handle feeling I can't have you Take you to the sea Take you to the country Find out what it means to be so free I thought we could be.
[00:13:54] Speaker A: So free.
[00:14:03] Speaker B: I love that track and I love the work of Jim Brady, who recorded, mixed and mastered that at Jim Brady Recording Studios in Tucson, Arizona. This next track is from Bobby's 2021 release called out of the Blue. It had mostly covers, but two of the tracks were originals and one of the originals was written when he was a young man. It's called Home on Derange.
[00:14:44] Speaker C: I'm sorry I've abused you I love you but I've used you now you say it's time to go I know it's cause I'm still young there's growing up to be done and I'm feeling at the end of a very special friend and lover In a world of so much change it's so easy to derange but loving you as I do I just don't want to lose you so I sing the blues for you and hope you'll come back home I kept you in the air so long Knowing now that I was wrong Wishing I could turn the pages back Bring.
[00:15:49] Speaker A: You home.
[00:16:13] Speaker C: Lonely and I'm shaking from mistakes that I've been making to satisfy that dam ego Please forgive me and believe me love me now don't leave me Cause I'm feeling at the end of a very special friend and lover Cause loving you as I do Just don't wanna lose you Try not to confuse you like I have been Loving you as I do I just can't stand to lose you you Wishing I could choose you once again.
[00:17:24] Speaker B: I think in another lifetime that track would have been famous and in all the American song books. This next song features something that I had mentioned mentioned in the intro. And I played cello on this song called My Loves. And so you can hear a very young Michael Ronstadt trying to play with a almost vibrato. Enjoy.
[00:17:58] Speaker C: Sometimes so many me Sometimes I'll feel right now not any and I feel.
[00:18:12] Speaker A: Like a fool.
[00:18:16] Speaker C: Thinking of you Sometimes so happy sometimes so blue Though it's not likely I wonder if you think.
[00:18:47] Speaker A: Of me too.
[00:18:54] Speaker C: Me too we too Sometimes so loving sometimes so cruel Right now I'm lonely and I'm searching forest.
[00:19:53] Speaker A: You are wondering who be the one who be the one you be the one you be.
[00:20:27] Speaker B: That was my loves from Bobby Ronstadt's 1999 album Shadows in the Dream. This next song is called Come on Soup.
[00:20:54] Speaker C: Listen to the ticking of the timer telling me that I'm gonna eat soon Sitting here trying to write a rhymer I'm waiting for the moon should be up real the pot's boiling over spitting on the stove Come on soup, shut up take your time, don't get too hot. Sorry about the small pot but it's the only one I've got you gotta take what you can get or someone else is gonna get it you've got your rights but so does he just don't take mine away from me.
Listen to the ringing of the timer telling me that I've gotta get up I fell asleep trying to write that rhymer Hope that I can finish the tune by noon.
The world is boiling over spittin on your bro. Come on boys shut up take your time, don't get too hot. Sorry about the small pot but it's the only one we've got. You gotta take what you can get or someone else is gonna get it.
You've got your rights but so does he just don't take mine away from me.
You gotta take what you can get just don't be greedy when you grab it.
You've got your rights but so does he just don't take mine away from me.
[00:23:41] Speaker B: The next song is called Dream Theme and it's on the same album. This one I think, probably was one of Bobby's most requested songs and he would sing it solo with auto harp and voice. My dad played some guitar on there and there's lots of family harmonies. I think it has a great groove, it's got a great story and great lyrics, so please enjoy.
[00:24:24] Speaker C: One day I had a dream that.
[00:24:27] Speaker A: You were in.
[00:24:33] Speaker C: We were adrift upon the sea the way you spoke about her was a sand in.
[00:24:52] Speaker B: It made.
[00:24:53] Speaker C: Me want to strangle you and I.
[00:25:02] Speaker A: Can'T believe that you can't conceive what the world could be for you and me.
[00:25:24] Speaker C: One night I had a dream that you were me and you could feel the same things I can see misunderstanding.
[00:25:45] Speaker A: Everything but me for I am you and you are we and I can't believe you can and conceive that the world could be for you and for me in my dream in my dream could be for you and for me in my dream we could have all.
[00:27:15] Speaker C: Those things.
[00:27:20] Speaker A: Everything for everyone in my dream in my dream.
[00:28:01] Speaker C: Last night I had a dream that we were in.
[00:28:10] Speaker A: I could sit on the battlefield warring away.
[00:28:20] Speaker C: Put down your gun and take me in your arms I shouldn't want.
[00:28:31] Speaker A: To conquer you and I can't believe that you can conceive what the world could be for you and me.
[00:28:51] Speaker C: And.
[00:28:51] Speaker A: I can't believe that you can conceive what a world it could be for you and for me in my dream in my dream in my dream in my dream you in my dream.
[00:29:28] Speaker C: Well.
[00:29:28] Speaker B: We'Ve got one more song before we finish out this really big mini episode, but before that, I want to thank you for listening to the Nathan's and Ron cast. You've been hearing from Michael G. Ronstadt and you've been hearing the music of Bobby Ronstadt, my cousin who recently passed away on March 30.
There are a lot of people in the world, including myself, who just miss him terribly. So I hope this music uplifted you. And also, if you hadn't heard of Bobby and his music, I hope you might seek out more if you want to hear Aaron Nathans and Michael G. Ronstadt play. We are going to be in the Greater Boston area in Wakefield, Massachusetts at Temple Emanuel at 120 Chestnut street on Sunday 4/27 2025 at 2:00pm Come on out. I'm flying out just for that. So we hope to see you and if you can't have enough, Michael Ron said. I'll be backing up Professor Louie and Ms. Marie at Woodsongs in Lexington, Kentucky at the Lyric Theater on Monday. 4:28, 2025 we're gonna finish out with Bobby's beautiful song called My World. We featured it in season one. I figured it's the most appropriate way to finish this episode. So without any further delay, here is My World by Bobby ronstadt, released in 2021 on his album out of the Blue.
[00:31:05] Speaker C: Whatever happened to my world?
Too many flags unfurled Rivers and streams and mountains Lovers and dreams and curtains all of these things uncertain in my.
[00:31:41] Speaker A: World.
[00:31:50] Speaker C: Where is the happy? In my world what do I do to feel fulfilled?
Music and friends and laughter Then some disaster brings it all to an end how do we feel Disaster in my world where is compassion?
Where is the love and the passion?
Whatever happened to my girl.
The one that I thought could be my world.
Weddings and kids and breakups, Life on the skids and wake ups.
All of these things that make up my world.
