Late last week, songbird Linda Ronstadt exclusively revealed to AARP.org that she has Parkinson’s disease.

“I had two very bad tick bites in the ’80s, and my health has never recovered since then,” she said. "I have Parkinson’s disease, which may be a result of that tick bite. They’re saying now they think there’s a relationship between tick bites and Parkinson’s disease — that a virus can switch on a gene, or cause neurodegeneration.

“I think I’ve had it for seven or eight years already, because I’ve had the symptoms that long. Then I had a shoulder operation, so I thought that must be why my hands were shaking. Parkinson’s is very hard to diagnose. So when I finally went to a neurologist and he said, “Oh, you have Parkinson’s disease,” I was completely shocked. I was totally surprised. I wouldn’t have suspected that in a million, billion years.

“There’s nothing you can do about it except inform yourself. And I’m learning from other Parkinson’s patients that there are different treatments besides the drugs they give you.

“You always learn more from failure than success. I really believe that. I think adversity is a great teacher.”

Linda’s autobiography, Simple Dreams, is out next month. Read the full interview here.

comments powered by Disqus

Latest news

Megan Thee Stallion's Pete & Thomas Foundation to Honor Southern Black Girls Founder LaTosha Brown

Megan Thee Stallion's Pete & Thomas Foundation to Honor Southern Black Girls Founder LaTosha Brown Jul 10, 2025

In a powerful demonstration of how investing in Black girls creates a pipeline of changemakers, Grammy Award-winning artist Megan Thee Stallion's Pete & Thomas Foundation will honor Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium founder LaTosha Brown alongside 13-year-old mental health advocate Mila Henry at its inaugural gala. More
More news