When I first learned Linda Ronstadt would perform for the opening of the MSU Riley Center I had a flashback to 1974.

“Heart Like A Wheel.” That album introduced me to Linda Ronstadt, I was a little too young to have paid attention to her Stone Pony days. “Wheel” had “When Will I Be Loved” and “You’re No Good” on it.



You’re no good,

You’re no good,

You’re no good

Baby you’re no good.



It doesn’t seem so deep written out, but given the way things were in 1974 (Watergate) and just how hot Linda Ronstadt was at that time and in that place (I was 11, she was 28) — believe me, the song meant a lot to me.

Me and my buddies actually fought on the playground (it was allowed back then) during those wild and crazy mid-70s years over who was hotter, Linda Ronstadt or Olivia Newton-John (I always took up for Mary Ann over Ginger, too. I guess I’m partial to brunettes).



I’m going to say it again,

You’re no good,

You’re no good,

You’re no good,

Baby you’re no good.



It was Linda Ronstadt’s recordings of songs by The Eagles, Buddy Holly, The Everly Brothers, Warren Zevon, Neil Young, Elvis Costello and even some Motown legends that made me aware of who those guys were.

She did wonders for filmmaker Michael Moore’s career a couple of years ago, too, when she dedicated the song “Desperado” to him in Las Vegas after he’d released “Fahrenheit 911” — remember that? It sent some people into a tizzy. As Moore himself observed, all she did was threaten to sing. The original “Dixie Chick” of sorts — Linda Ronstadt, very cool.



Stan the man



Here’s some more lyrics I’ve been thinking about lately:



Newspapermen eating candy,

Had to be held down by big police …



That’s from “When I Paint My Masterpiece” by Bob Dylan.

I thought about that song thinking of Stan Torgerson, who passed away this week.

A longtime newsman for print, television and radio, I got to know him pretty quickly when I came to Meridian five years ago. We always had a good relationship and whenever I covered a supervisors work session, or one of their regular meetings, or a city council meeting, or a mayor’s press conference with him he always had candy and he’d slip some to me.

I actually knew of Stan years earlier, though I didn’t realize it until I’d become acquainted with him in this lifetime. He was the voice my grandfather always searched for on his radio when he would scan the dial to pick up Ole Miss games in the days of Archie Manning.

Whether he gave you candy or not, you always came away with some kind of treat after hanging around Stan.

One day, Lauderdale County District 5 Supervisor Ray Boswell was talking to me and Stan before a supervisors meeting. Ray was telling us about how he’d come from a very large family.

After a while Stan said: “No wonder you keep getting elected, you’re related to everybody in your district.”

Ray said: “Well, most of them are dead now.”

And Stan said: “Well, they still vote don’t they?”

I will miss his humor the most.