Washington (CNN) – During an awards ceremony at the White House, President Barack Obama whispered in the ear of superstar musician Linda Ronstadt that he once had a crush on her.
The President admitted to the crowd afterwards that, "I told Linda Ronstadt I had a crush on her back in the day " Ronstadt joined Obama on stage, along with 11 other recipients of the 2013 National Medal of Arts.
No word from the singer of such aptly-named hits as, "You're no good," and, "Desperado," – on what she said back to the President.
I was in the Army during the tail end of her Stone Poney days, and I remember a lot of the guys had the hots for her. Everybody was bummed out when she started dating Jerry Brown. A hot, hip chick like her, with a politician? Unthinkable.
Music means a lot to me, so I probably wouldn't have lusted after her so much if she'd been less talented. It wasn't just that her top 40 hits were amazing. The standards she did with the Nelson Riddle orchestra are among my favorite records, as is the "Trio" album she did with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris.
And, if you must know, Judy Collins, too. Had a thing for her big time. I never see her "Secret Gardens" on any of those 100-greatest-songs lists, but it belongs there. Still makes me cry, every time. "That's me at the weddings. That's me at the graves." Whoo.
And the photo of her naked back on that album cover is still the single sexiest thing I have ever seen. Double whoo.
