To Know Her Is To Love Her: Patti Scialfa joins Trisha Yearwood et al. to salute Linda Ronstadt
- Letters To You
- Jul 23
- 3 min read
July 23, 2025
It's great to see that Patti Scialfa was back onstage singing last night, and even better to learn that we Scialfa fans will be able to watch a professionally filmed online broadcast of her performances, beginning next month! Patti joined Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris, Bernie Leadon, James Taylor, and Trisha Yearwood in a special concert event saluting Linda Ronstadt and the Los Angeles country-rock scene of the 1960s through the 1980s. The concert took place in Nashville at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s CMA Theater.
Trisha Yearwood co-produced the event with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, in connection with the museum’s major exhibition Western Edge: The Roots and Reverberations of Los Angeles Country-Rock. The exhibit, which will conclude its nearly three-year run on September 16, explores the L.A.-based communities of visionary singers, songwriters and musicians — including Linda Ronstadt — who created and shaped the musical fusion “country-rock” and made a lasting impact on popular music.
“I’m not exaggerating when I say that Linda Ronstadt is THE reason I became a singer,” Yearwood said. “Celebrating Linda and her fellow L.A.-based musicians alongside some of my biggest musical heroes is a lifelong dream come true for me.” The concert benefited the nonprofit museum and its educational mission. It was filmed professionally and will be released next month on the museum’s website and YouTube channel.
Scialfa joined Yearwood and Emmylou Harris in performing the Phil Spector song "To Know Him Is To Love Him," which Ronstadt recorded with Harris and Dolly Parton for their 1987 album Trio. Patti then sang her own composition "Valerie" with Emmylou Harris. Harris recorded a version of "Valerie" with Ronstadt for their 1999 album Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions, which also featured their version of Bruce Springsteen's "Across The Border."
Trisha Yearwood then returned to the stage to join Harris and Scialfa in singing Neil Young's song "Birds," which Ronstadt recorded in a live version for her self-titled 1972 solo album. At the end of the evening, Patti Scialfa returned to the stage to join the evening's entire ensemble of performers for a group performance of the traditional song "The Water Is Wide," which Ronstadt recorded with David Sanborn in 1985. Their version later was released on the 1995 Sanborn compilation Love Songs.
Below is the evening's complete setlist:
1. "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" – Trisha Yearwood
2. "Long Long Time" – Trisha Yearwood
3. "To Know Him Is to Love Him" – Trisha Yearwood, Emmylou Harris and Patti Scialfa
4. "Valerie" – Emmylou Harris and Patti Scialfa
5. "Birds" – Trisha Yearwood, Emmylou Harris and Patti Scialfa
6. "You're No Good" – Trisha Yearwood
7. "Louise" – Trisha Yearwood
8. "Desperado" – Trisha Yearwood with Bernie Leadon on guitar
9. "Blue Bayou" – Trisha Yearwood
10. "Love Has No Pride" – Trisha Yearwood
11. "Try Me Again" – Trisha Yearwood
12. "It's So Easy – "Trisha Yearwood
13. "What Kind of Love" – Rodney Crowell
14. "I Can't Help It If I’m Still in Love with You" – Trisha Yearwood and Rodney Crowell
15. "When Will I Be Loved" – Trisha Yearwood
16. "Hey Mister, That’s Me Up on the Jukebox" – James Taylor
17. "I Think It's Gonna Work Out Fine" – James Taylor and Trisha Yearwood
18. "The Water Is Wide" – Trisha Yearwood, Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris, Patti Scialfa, and James Taylor
The band for the evening was led by Dan Dugmore (pedal steel and electric guitar,) and featured Robert Bailey and Vicki Hampton (backing vocals,) Steve Mackey (bass,) Rob McNelley (electric guitar,) Greg Morrow (drums,) Mike Rojas (keyboards,) and Bobby Terry (acoustic guitar.)
We at Letters To You look forward to sharing more details with our readers on the upcoming online streaming options for the professionally filmed version of last night's event on The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s website and YouTube channel, as they become available. Stay tuned!
