My Ten Favorite Linda Ronstadt Songs: Different Drum (#9)

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Linda Ronstadt, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer who was the #1 female rock singer of the 1970s, is turning 70 this week. To celebrate, I'm looking at my ten favorite Linda Ronstadt songs. @JohnRoberts chronicled his favorite Ronstadt songs earlier this year, so make sure you check out his list, too! #9: Different Drum This is the song that brought Linda Ronstadt to the world. Written by Monkee Mike Nesmith, it was recorded by the trio Ronstadt was a member of, the Stone Poneys. While that band didn't last all that long, it did two things. First, it introduced Ronstadt and guitarist Kenny Edwards (a man who'd play with Ronstadt in the studio and on tour for most of the rest of his life). Secondly, it introduced us to her. There's nothing "young" about Ronstadt's voice, despite the fact that she was only 20 when she sang this song. Everything that she possessed is on display in this song. It took Ronstadt the solo artist a while to catch on (her first three solo albums weren't all that successful at the time), but boy, when she did, she took the world by storm. And we can all be thankful for that. Different Drum Written by Michael Nesmith Recorded by the Stone Poneys featuring Linda Ronstadt From Evergreen, Volume 2, 1967 John's #9 Song: Crazy (from Hasten Down the Wind, 1976) (Note: John ranked "Different Drum" at #4) Here's a live version of a 20-year-old Linda Ronstadt singing her first hit: