Nicolette Larson Tribute

Nicolette Larson: 1952 - 1997

Nicolette Larson is best remembered for her 1979 cover of Neil Young's "Lotta Love". (See Nicolette Larson Cover 'Lotta Love' on YouTube).

Sadly, Larson died in 1997 at the age of 45 after suffering a cerebral edema.

Last August, during the Neil Young's Nashville Ryman concerts, "he referred repeatedly to the late singer Nicolette Larson" among the personal losses Young has experienced.

Now, Rhino Records is releasing a Tribute to Nicolette Larson.

The "Lotta Love Concert," a tribute to late vocalist Nicolette Larson was staged Feb. 21-22, 1998, at the Santa Monica, CA Civic Auditorium.

The event featured performances from Dan Fogelberg, Joe Walsh, Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Jimmy Buffet, Carole King, Linda Ronstadt and Little Feat with Bonnie Raitt, a number of whom Larson recorded with in her lifetime.


1. Lotta Love -- Ensemble
2. Part of the Plan -- Dan Fogelberg
3. Rocky Mountain Way -- Joe Walsh
4. Cold, Cold, Cold -- Little Feat & Bonnie Raitt
5. Love Has No Pride -- Bonnie Raitt
6. Wonderful Life -- MIchael Ruff
7. Up On the Roof -- Carole King
8. For A Dancer -- Jackson Browne
9. Running on Empty -- Jackson Browne
10. Even Cowgirls Get the Blues -- Emmylou Harris
11. Blue Bayou -- Linda Ronstadt
12. In My Life -- Crosby, Stills & Nash
13. Southern Cross -- Crosby, Stills & Nash
14. Margaritaville -- Jimmy Buffet
15. You've Got A Friend -- Ensemble

The entire ensemble performed "Lotta Love" as well as a rendition of King's classic "You've Got a Friend," which closes out the set. Proceeds from the disc will benefit the Nicolette Larson Pediatric Endowment Fund at UCLA's Mattel Childrens' Hospital, as did the original shows.

Nicolette Larson’s generous and compassionate spirit is honored in a permanent fund that assures that ill and injured children receive quality medical care at one of the leading pediatric health centers in the United States.

Go to http://www.peds.ucla.edu/ for more details on how to help.

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From Cameron Crowe profile in Rolling Stone #280, December 14, 1978:

One evening when Ronstadt got a call from Neil Young, a Malibu neighbor, looking for a female vocal accompanist. Ronstadt mentioned Nicolette to Young, who had already been given Larson's name three times that day. He promptly came over with guitar in hand.

'I didn't know much about Neil Young,' remembers Larson. 'But we went over and sat by the fireplace and Neil ran down all the songs he had just written, about twenty of them. We sang harmonies with him and he was jazzed.'

A week later Young invited Larson and Ronstadt up to his northern California ranch/studio to re-create the same vocal mix for his American Stars and Bars album. 'We [Neil and Crazy Horse] worked out the songs in a room of his house,' says Larson. 'And just when we had the songs down, Neil said, 'Thanks a lot... we've got the album.' He was recording all the rehearsals secretly in another room.'

Larson didn't hear from Young until six months later, when he summoned her to Nashville where he was beginning Comes a Time. Young wanted her to front a twenty-two-piece studio band with him - dubbed the Gone with the Wind Orchestra. 'He told me to sing whatever I wanted,' says Larson. 'You can hear me trying to work the parts out on the album.'"

Also, see Nicolette Larson's "Lotta Love" & Neil Young.

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