Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram, Somewhere Out There | Dazzling Duets

In the eighth edition of Dazzling Duets (2026), Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram collaborate on “Somewhere Out There” from the An American Tail soundtrack.

Sometimes, two is better than one! That is the case regarding Dazzling Duets! On Dazzling Duets, we highlight striking songs performed by two artists collaborating. These duets can be from any musical style, making Dazzling Duets a flexible, versatile column. In the eighth edition of Dazzling Duets (2026), Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram collaborate on “Somewhere Out There” from the An American Tail soundtrack. Let the dazzle begin!

What happens when Grammy-winning musicians Linda Ronstadt (b. 1946) and James Ingram (1952 – 2019) join forces? Magic, plain and simple.  Ronstadt and Ingram make a formidable pairing on “Somewhere Out There”, the end title from the 1986 children’s film, An American Tail.  Cynthia Weil (1940 – 2023), her husband, Barry Mann (b. 1939), and James Horner (1953 – 2015) wrote this unforgettable gem. Notably, within the animated feature, former actor and producer Phillip Glasser (b. 1978), as Fievel Mousekewitz, and Betsy Cathcart, as the singing voice of Tanya Mousekewitz,  perform the duet.  A huge hit on the pop charts, “Somewhere Out There” reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1987.  The performance was nominated for a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 30^th Annual Grammy Awards (Jennifer Warnes and Bill Medley won for “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”).  The song WON the highly coveted Grammy for Song of the Year, deservedly.

“Somewhere Out There” commences with a lovely, tender keyboard that outlines the iconic children’s soundtrack melody.  To quote Al Green, it’s “Simply Beautiful”. Linda Ronstadt draws first blood, performing the first verse. She sings expressively, yet easily and tenderly, never forcing things. “Somewhere out there / Beneath the pale moonlight,” she sings, and continues, “Someone’s thinking of me / And loving me tonight.” Aww! James Ingram sings the second verse, contrasting with his deeper, rich baritone. He continues singing during the first half bridge: “And even though I know how far apart we are / It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star.” Ronstadt sings the second half of the bridge, raising the bar at the end (“…sleeping underneath the same big sky”), increasing the intensity leading into the chorus where they sing together.  Here, they show incredible chemistry, bringing things down by the end of the section.

“Somewhere out there

If love can see us through

Then we’ll be together

Somewhere out there

Out where dreams come true.”

Following the first chorus, the musical accompaniment grows more colorful, including a ripe electric guitar solo. Rock on – in a children’s soundtrack cut, that is! Notably, there is also a key modulation that ups the ante.  As before, Ingram returns to perform the first half of the bridge section. Ronstadt caps it off, once more raising the bar. They duet splendidly again, with select solo lines between them to conclude “Somewhere Out There.” The ending is breathtaking as Ronstadt and Ingram bring things down, with the musical accompaniment keeping the same energy.  “Somewhere Out There” is a 40-year-old duet 🤯.  Even so, revisiting it, it doesn’t sound as if it’s aged a bit.  Linda Ronstadt and the late James Ingram did their big one with this one!