Kenny Edwards, a musician and singer who worked extensively with Linda Ronstadt, died Wednesday (Aug. 18) in Santa Barbara, Calif., following a battle with cancer and a blood disorder. He was 64.
Edwards became a prominent member of the West Coast country-rock community as a founding member of the Stone Poneys, the band that introduced Ronstadt to a national audience with their 1967 hit, “Different Drum.” After the group disbanded, Edwards later played a key role in her solo success on albums such as Heart Like a Wheel, Prisoner in Disguise, Hasten Down the Wind, Simple Dreams and Living in the U.S.A..

As a guitarist, bassist and vocalist, he also contributed to recordings by Don Henley, Warren Zevon, Bonnie Raitt (vocals on album “The Glow” 1979), J.D. Souther and many others.
His country-related credits include projects with Vince Gill, Kathy Mattea, David Lee Murphy and John Cowan. Edwards produced and performed on Karla Bonoff’s self-titled debut album released in 1977. He and Bonoff were also members of Bryndle, a group that also included singer-songwriters Wendy Waldman and Andrew Gold.