Linda Ronstadt Can't Sing Anymore

By Timothy Yap Nov 25, 2014 03:22 AM EST

Linda Ronstadt who once could make the American Songbook come alive when she could effortlessly crooned the likes of Frank Sinatra and Rosemary Clooney cannot sing anymore. She is currently battling Parkinson's disease and the illness has robbed her of her ability to sing.

"I can't get to the note," she says. "I can't make any quality sound. I can't arrange pitch. I might aim for a note and hit another one. It sounds like shouting."

With hits such as "Don't Know Much," "You're No Good," "We Ran" "When Will I Be Loved," "Blue Bayou," and many others since the 70s, this news has grieved many fans. Not only has Ronstadt lost her ability to sing, she is also finding day to day life a challenge.

"I'm still getting around, but it's harder and harder ... It's just really hard to move," Ronstadt tells CBS San Francisco. "It's hard to wash my hair, brush my teeth, put my clothes on. It's hard to get up and out of a chair. But once I get going, I can go for a little bit."

But the 68-year-old says she is still doing all she can to combat the effects of the disease.

"I walk around the neighborhood a little bit," she says. "Only a couple blocks now. I used to walk down to the beach, but I don't do that anymore."

Ronstadt was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year. During the ceremony, she was part of an all-star tribute, including performances by Carrie Underwood, Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks, Bonnie Raitt, Glenn Frey and Emmylou Harris.

Ronstadt is scheduled to speak about her illness at a seminar in Denver, Colo., along with Valerie Harper, Alison Levine and others. More information can be found here.