Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

At about the same time she embarked on her second career singing standards with a big-band backing, Linda Ronstadt did an about-face and embraced her Mexican heritage with Canciones de Mi Padre ("Songs of my father"). This 1987 television special got heavy play on PBS stations that summer.

It's a big production that almost overpowers Ronstadt, until she lets loose with her power notes, especially the high ones. What Ronstadt lacked in finesse she always made up for in power and purity.

Ronstadt's interpretation of American lounge songs always lacked a certain dimension of awareness. With Keely Smith or Julie London, one could always hear the soul of the singer behind the lyrics, and Linda just warbled out the tunes as if wasn't even thinking about the meaning of the words.

That open-faced simplicity serves her well with these ballads, traditional songs and revolutionary crowd-pleasers. In a fancy dress with her cheeks rouged and her big smile beaming, she communicates what the songs have to give.

The production is what one would expect from a videotaped show of its year. It's an expensive undertaking, with a big name English designer (Tony Walton) behind the stage trappings. Directors Bruce Franchini and Michael Smuin retain the stage presentation but make sure there are plenty of pleasing visual effects and lighting moods. The most elaborate setpiece has an entire locomotive enter from stage right, covered with revolutionary soldiers and their camp followers.

Linda Ronstadt dedicates the show to songs that her father played for her as a child. Some videotaped interludes show her visiting his desert home, riding horses and looking at old photos and artifacts in the ranch house. It's enough to make us curious about Linda's background but doesn't fill us in on the details. How this girl became a '70s rock star might make a good story.

More than half of the show presents Ronstadt's co-stars. Singing alone and with her is Danny Valdez (Zoot Suit), and there's plenty of input from the Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, an excellent orchestra-sized group. The dancing is provided by the Ballet Folklorico de la Fonda and Sal Lopez and Urbanie Lucero. Much of the show comes off as filmed coverage of folkloric dancing, with Ronstadt doing the introductions. The costumes are showy but seem authentic, especially in the revolutionary episodes. Canciones De Mi Padre: A Romantic Evening in Old Mexico was originally produced for the stage by Ira Koslow.

The seventy minute show has solid color and a 2.0 stereo track, with subs in English, Spanish and Portuguese, and is closed-captioned as well. It's a good primer for Mexican culture and certainly useful in educational situations.