“Love Is A Rose,” a celebration of the music of Linda Ronstadt, will kick off the 19th annual Summer Tracks concert series on Friday.

Presented by New View Realty, the town of Tryon and series producer Peter Eisenbrown, the concerts will take place at Tryon’s amphitheater at Roger’s Park beginning at 7 p.m. In case of rain, concerts will move inside the Tryon Fire Department.

Asheville’s Peggy Ratusz and Paula Hanke, along with other area musicians, will bring Ronstadt’s music to life.

Even those who did not grow up in the late 1960s and into the 1970s and ‘80s, the sound of the voice of Linda Ronstadt has been a familiar one for generations, organizers said.

For Hanke and Ratusz, who grew up idolizing her music, it was a clarion call to put together a show featuring some of her best works when news broke in 2013 that Ronstadt was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Hanke has produced shows including “Billie Holiday and Lester Young: A Musical Romance” and “A Night of Brazilian Jazz” featuring the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim.

Peggy “Blues Chanteuse” Ratusz is a fixture in the Asheville jazz and blues music scene. For the past 10 years, she has either won or placed in the popular Western North Carolina “Best of” readers’ poll. Notably in 2016, Ratusz won in three major categories: Best in Blues, Best Vocalist and Musician Who Gives Back.

Ratusz’s previous Summer Tracks concerts over the past five years have all been crowd favorites, organizers said.

All Summer Tracks concerts are free, though a voluntary donation at the gate is encouraged. Audience donations along with the sponsorships of local businesses and individuals make these shows possible.

Katie D’s N.Y. Bagels & Deli will be offering for sale a variety of slider sandwiches, pimento cheese and crackers, plus a variety of desserts including brownies, cookies and ice cream. Water and soft drinks will be for sale. Alcohol consumption is allowed in the park but is not for sale.

Summer Tracks is produced by the town of Tryon in affiliation with Peter Eisenbrown, of Blockparty Productions. For more information about Summer Tracks and the performers, visit www.summertracks.com.

-Submitted by Peter Eisenbrown