Touring in the 1960s came with its share of chaos, but few stories match the sheer drama of the time Linda Ronstadt and the Doors shared a terrifying flight. Ronstadt, then with the Stone Poneys, was on tour with big names like Neil Young, Jackson Browne, and the Doors. One day, their commercial flight from Rochester to Boston was grounded due to thick fog—and what followed became one of Ronstadt’s most unforgettable experiences.
With no time to lose, their manager, Herbie Cohen, hired a beat-up DC-3 plane and a pilot with questionable credentials. Ronstadt later joked that the man seemed more like a used tire salesman than someone fit to fly a plane. The decision nearly cost them their lives, but miraculously, they landed safely—just one hour late for their show.
A Terrifying Gamble In The Air
In a 1968 interview, Ronstadt revealed how Cohen forced them aboard the plane despite their fears, according to American Songwriter. Fog had shut down normal flights, but Cohen didn’t want to miss the concert or refund ticket holders. “He forced us all at solid gunpoint on this DC3,” she recalled. The lengths they went to perform showed how unpredictable life on tour could be.
Ronstadt even joked about hijacking the plane to Cuba, but the danger was all too real. The band knew full well how many artists had died in small aircraft accidents. That day, she and the Doors took a huge risk just to get to a stage, and the memory stayed with her for decades.
Ronstadt’s Honest Take On Touring With The Doors
Sharing the stage with the Doors brought exposure—but also discomfort. Ronstadt later admitted she believed the band might be more commercially successful without Jim Morrison. “If they just get rid of their singer, they could have hits,” she said, noting his erratic behavior and heavy drinking during tours.
She also remembered his vanity and theatrics, including how he wore the same snakeskin pants daily. In a 2013 interview, Ronstadt described the atmosphere between Morrison and his fans as a self-absorbed, chaotic frenzy. While both Linda Ronstadt and the Doors left a mark on music history, the experience was far from smooth behind the scenes.