Ronee Blakley

Ronee Blakley emerged as a folky singer/songwriter whose self-titled 1972 debut earned widespread critical praise. Bob Dylan’s endorsement and similar acclaim from other notable figures led to her casting as the victimized and ultimately doomed singer Barbara Jean in Robert Altman’s 1975 film Nashville. Although her follow-up LP that same year earned generally favorable notices, it failed to connect with audiences, prompting Blakley to shift her focus toward acting. She took roles in numerous films across the 1970s and 1980s, among them the original Nightmare on Elm Street. In 1985 she wrote, directed, and performed in the pseudo docu-drama I Played It for You. She was also briefly married to German filmmaker Wim Wenders. Both of her albums finally appeared on CD in 2006.