Linda Ronstadt's memories of Kenny Edwards

Times pop music writer Randy Lewis spoke with singer Linda Ronstadt on Thursday evening about musician Kenny Edwards, who died Wednesday at 64.

In the mid-1960s Ronstadt, Edwards and Bobby Kimmel found fame as the Stone Poneys with their hit "Different Drum" (see the YouTube clip). Ronstadt reminisced with Lewis about the band members' early days in Santa Monica.

We had a little house on Hart [Avenue], and in one block, the Doors lived across the street, Pete Seeger’s dad lived in another house and the whole Seeger family thing was going there; [actor] Ron Perlman lived in another. There was a soul food restaurant in the neighborhood, and you could walk to the Nuart [Theatre]. I got exposed to a cultural world I never knew about. It was a hippie crash pad, but it cost $60 a month, which was split about 15 ways. I could make $30 last for a month.

There's more at the Times' Pop and Hiss blog.

-- Claire Noland

Comments

[Willa Cather]

Hart Ave is right next to the beach between Pico and Ocean Park. The NuArt is a block or so from the 405. She must have been hoofing it to the NuArt. Also, soul food on the westside? Any one remember what she's talking about? I mean, I love Linda's music but I've lived in the area of what she speaks for over 30 years. Neighbors have lived her long, some 50+. Not really connecting with her comments and how this related much to Kenny Edwards except they lived together in the same house surrounded by other artists for cheap back in the 60-70's.

[Luna]

Uh, where are the memories of Kenny Edwards? This sounds rather self-centered, IMHO. I think the soul food place she's talking about may have been a bbq place on Main Street that was run by a black family from the south. I remember going there when I was in elementary school. There were a few little restaurants run by black families, but most of those were those were in the seedier parts of Venice.