The Stone Poneys were an American folk-rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in the mid-1960s. The group consisted of Linda Ronstadt on vocals, Bobby Kimmel on guitar and vocals, and Kenny Edwards on bass and vocals.

The band's sound was heavily influenced by traditional folk music, but also incorporated elements of rock and pop. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1967 and included their hit single "Different Drum," which was written by Michael Nesmith of The Monkees.

After the success of "Different Drum," Linda Ronstadt began to receive more attention as a solo artist and eventually left the Stone Poneys in 1968 to pursue a solo career. Bobby Kimmel and Kenny Edwards continued to perform and record music together, but the band officially disbanded in 1971.

Despite only releasing three albums during their brief career, the Stone Poneys are often cited as an important influence on the folk-rock genre and helped to establish Linda Ronstadt as one of the leading female vocalists of the era.

Born on July 15, 1946, in Tucson, Arizona, Ronstadt grew up in a musical family and began singing and performing at a young age.

In the late 1960s, Ronstadt began her solo career, and she quickly gained recognition for her powerful vocals and diverse musical style, which ranged from rock to country to Mexican folk music.

Over the course of her career, Ronstadt released over 30 studio albums and sold over 100 million records worldwide. Some of her most famous songs include "You're No Good," "Blue Bayou," "When Will I Be Loved," and "Desperado."

In addition to her successful music career, Ronstadt has also been involved in activism and advocacy work, particularly in the areas of the environment and the arts. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 and was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama in 2013.

Ronstadt was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2013, which has caused her to retire from performing. However, her legacy as one of the greatest voices in American music continues to inspire new generations of musicians and fans alike.

• Linda Ronstadt - vocals
• Bob Kimmel - guitar
• Kenny Edwards - guitar

1. "Stone Poneys Featuring Linda Ronstadt" (1967)
2. "Evergreen, Vol. 2" - Single: "Different Drum"
3. "Stone Poneys & Friends, Vol. 3"

1. "Hand Sown Home Grown" (1969)
2. "Silk Purse" (1970)
3. "Linda Ronstadt" (1971) - The most country-sounding of all of Linda's albums.  Backup musicians included Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Randy Meisner, and Bernie Leadon, who went on to form The Eagles.
4. "Don't Cry Now" (1973)
5. "Heart Like a Wheel" (1974) - Singles: "You're No Good", "When Will I Be Loved", "I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You"
6. "Prisoner in Disguise" (1975) - Single: "Heat Wave"
7. "Hasten Down the Wind" (1976) - Single: "That'll Be the Day"
8. "Simple Dreams" (1977) - Single: "Blue Bayou"
9. "Living in the U.S.A." (1978) - Singles: "Back in the USA", "Just One Look"
10. "Mad Love" (1980) - Singles: "How Do I Make You", "Hurt So Bad"
11. "Get Closer" (1982)
12. "What's New" (1983) (with The Nelson Riddle Orchestra)
13. "Lush Life" (1984) (with The Nelson Riddle Orchestra)
14. "For Sentimental Reasons" (1986) (with The Nelson Riddle Orchestra)
15. "Trio" (1987) (with Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton)
16. "Canciones de mi Padre (Songs of My Father)" (1987)
17. "Cry Like A Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind" (1989) - Singles: "Don't Know Much" (with Aaron Neville), "All My Life" (with Aaron Neville)
18. "Mas Canciones" (1991)
19. "Frenesi" (1992)
20. "Winter Light" (1993)
21. "Feels Like Home" (1995)
22. "Dedicated to the One I Love" (1996)
23. "We Ran" (1998)
24. "Trio II" (1999) (with Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton)

1. "Different Drum" (1974)
2. "Greatest Hits" (1976)
3. "Linda Ronstadt - A Retrospective" (1977)
4. "'Round Midnight: The Nelson Riddle Sessions" (2-CDs) (1986)
5. "Greatest Hits Volume Two" (1990)
6. "Linda Ronstadt - Her Greatest Hits and Finest Performances" (3-CDs) (1997) (published by Reader's Digest)

• Linda Ronstadt - Official Site
• The Linda Ronstadt Homepage (Tony Partridge) - great site with lots of information!
• Dedicated to Linda Ronstadt: A Tribute by Sean Keyes
• Linda Ronstadt Lyrics Page
• Linda Ronstadt - Guest Appearances
• "DESPERADOS: The Roots of Country Rock" - by John Einarson; published by Cooper Square Press - Let me say right up front that I have been a big fan of country rock music ever since hearing the "Pickin' Up The Pieces" single from Poco's debut album.  Poco has remained a favorite of mine through the years, although I always believed they were overlooked as a significant influence on popular music into the 1970s and the "new country" movement in the 1990s.  Thankfully, this oversight is corrected by John Einarson in his book, "DESPERADOS: The Roots of Country Rock", which traces the history of country rock's rise in Southern California from the early days in the late 1960s up to The Eagles (unquestionably the most commercially-viable country rock band of all time).  Having previously read one of Mr. Einarson's biographies on The Guess Who, I was anxious to see how he approached my favorite type of music...I was not disappointed.  "DESPERADOS: The Roots of Country Rock" is an intricate tale of musicians struggling to be heard amidst the psychedelic and hard-rock sounds flooding the airwaves at the time...and these early country rockers did make themselves heard...The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, Poco, Buffalo Springfield, Clarence White, The Eagles, Michael Nesmith (remember The Monkees?...Nesmith made some great country rock music after that gig was over), The Dillards, Rick Nelson and The Stone Canyon Band, The Dillard and Clark Expedition, Linda Ronstadt, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band...the list could go on and on.  This book covers the early days of country rock from it's beginnings in the late 1960s to the tragic year of 1973 (when the music world lost two country rock pioneers: guitarist-extraordinaire Clarence White and Gram Parsons) and examines the influence this music has had on second-generation country rock bands such as Pure Prairie League and Firefall.  In addition, the impact of these early country rockers on the "new country" music of the 1980s and the "alternative country" movement of the late-1990s and beyond is explored from a "roots" perspective.  This is a tale masterfully woven by Mr. Einarson, based on more than 60 exclusive interviews with the originators and innovators of country rock.  The amount of information and level of detail contained in these 288 pages is astounding, and there are 31 black and white photographs (some of which I've never seen before).  The only improvement that I would recommend is the inclusion of a comprehensive index in the next edition (this would really help in finding information on specific artists).  Even though I've been following country rock music for years, I learned a lot from this book.  The quotes gleaned from Mr. Einarson's interviews during research for this book are particularly helpful in understanding the origin and development of country rock. "DESPERADOS: The Roots of Country Rock" is required reading for all fans of country rock or anyone interested in late-1960s to early-1970s music. Highly recommended.