I;m calling this week’s story: The “Five Degrees of Lotta Love…and here’s why:

Nicolette Larson was a background singer for Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen” who had a hit in 1972’with Hot Rod Lincoln.” Through Commander Cody, Nicolette met Emmylou Harris, and through Emmylou, she met Linda Ronstadt.

One day when Nicoleltte was at Linda’s house, Neil Young happened to stop by. One thing led to another, and before long, an impromptu jam session broke out, leading both Nicolette and Linda to become “The Saddlebags,” who backed Neil on several recordings.

A short time later, Neil and Nicolette became a couple, and that’s when he gave her the song “Lotta Love” for her debut album, “Nicolette”.

Linda, however, says SHE suggested that Neil give Nicolette the song.

Either way, Nicolette took “Lotta Love” to #1 on the Adult Contemporary Charts in both Canada and the US! It also reached #4 on Canada’s Top 40, and #8 in the US on Billboard’s Hot 100.

So if you’re keeping score, it was Nicolette Larson to Commander Cody to Emmylou Harris to Linda Ronstadt to Neil Young: 5 degrees of “Lotta Love,” a “Great Song of 1978!

For the stories behind more than 1,500 Great Songs of the ’70s and ’80s, visit my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MichaelCuuuk/