Ronee Blakley came to prominence as the fictional country superstar Barbara
Jean (a role that was originally offered to
Susan Anspach), in Robert Altman's
Nashville (1975). Her performance in
the film won her a National Board of Review for Best Supporting
Actress, and garnered Academy Award, BAFTA, and Golden Globe
nominations.
Sang background vocals on "Hurricane" by Bob Dylan.
Working with Bob Dylann in the early 1970s, she appeared as "Mrs. Bob Dylan" in Dylan's film Renaldo and Clara (1978), which is set during the Rolling Thunder Revue tour of 1975. In the movie she performs the song "I Need a New Sun Rising". She also sang on Dylan's 1976 album "Desire".
Appeared in, and wrote the music for then-husband Wim Wenders's film Lightning Over Water (1980). Her documentary film I Played It for You (1985), in which she directed and starred in (and in which Wenders also appears), won a prize at the Venice Film Festival.
Recorded two country/folk albums in the early 1970s, featuring most songs she wrote and arranged herself. The songs combined themes and genres including country, folk and blues.