Wendy Waldman
Wendy Waldman is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer.
Biography
Early life
Waldman grew up in the Los Angeles area. She was raised in a musical environment: her father Fred Steiner was a composer who wrote the theme music for Perry Mason and The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. Her mother was a professional violinist. In 1969 she married her first husband Ken Waldman, and changed her name to Wendy Waldman.Bryndle
Waldman's first recordings were made in 1970 as a part of Bryndle. Other group members included Karla Bonoff, Andrew Gold, and Kenny Edwards. When the group disbanded, she signed with Warner Bros. Records. Bryndle re-formed in the early 1990s and released two albums before disbanding again in the mid 2000s.Recordings
In 1973, she released her first album Love Has Got Me, and Rolling Stone named her "singer-songwriter debut of the year." Also in 1973, Maria Muldaur covered two songs written by Waldman on her self-titled first album.She followed her debut album with Gypsy Symphony in 1974, Wendy Waldman in 1975, The Main Refrain, and Strange Company in 1978.
In 1982, Waldman released Which Way to Main Street, which featured Peter Frampton on guitar.
Songwriting
Waldman left the Warner Bros. label in 1979. In 1982 she moved to Nashville to focus on songwriting.The songwriting team of Waldman, Phil Galdston, and Jon Lind wrote "Save the Best for Last" for Vanessa Williams, which was nominated for a Grammy. They have also written songs made popular by artists such as Madonna, Celine Dion, and Earth, Wind & Fire.
The song "Fishin' in the Dark" was written by Waldman and Jim Photoglo. It was a hit in 1987 for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and has also been covered by Garth Brooks and Kenny Chesney.
Production
Waldman has been one of only a few women who produce records in a male-dominated profession.The Refugees
In 2007, Waldman formed The Refugees with Cidny Bullens and Deborah Holland.Discography
Studio recordings
- 1973: Love Has Got Me
- 1974: Gypsy Symphony
- 1975: Wendy Waldman
- 1976: The Main Refrain
- 1978: Strange Company
- 1982: Which Way to Main Street
- 1987: Letters Home
- 1997: Environments 16 – City of Dreams
- 2007: My Time in the Desert
Compilations
- 1996: Love Is the Only Goal: The Best of Wendy Waldman
- 2003: Seeds and Orphans
Singles
- 1975: "Western Lullaby" / "Green Rocky Road"
- 1976: "Living Is Good" / "The Main Refrain"
- 1978: "Long Hot Summer Nights" / "You'll See"
- 1982: "Does Anybody Want to Marry Me"
- 1982: "Heartbeat"
- 1987: "Living in Hard Times"
As a member of [Bryndle]
- 1995: Bryndle
- 2002: House of Silence
As a member of the Refugees
- 2009: Unbound
- 2012: Three
- 2019: How Far It Goes
As composer
1973 – 1981
- 1973: Maria Muldaur – Maria Muldaur – track 10, "Vaudeville Man"; track 11, "Mad Mad Me"
- 1974: El Chicano – Cinco – track 7, "Gringo En Mexico"
- 1974: Maria Muldaur – Waitress in a Donut Shop – track 2, "Gringo En Mexico"
- 1975: Judy Collins – Judith – track 11, "Pirate Ships"
- 1976: Barbi Benton – Something New – track 11, "Thinking of You"
- 1976: Maria Muldaur – Sweet Harmony – track 7, "Back by Fall"; track 9, "Wild Bird"
- 1976: Twiggy – Twiggy – track 8, "Vaudeville Man"
- 1980: Randy Meisner – One More Song – track 2, "Gotta Get Away"; track 3, "Come on Back to Me"; track 5, "I Need You Bad"; track 7, "Trouble Ahead"
- 1981: Kim Carnes – Mistaken Identity – track 6, "Break The Rules Tonite " ; track 7, "Still Hold On"
- 1981: Albert Hammond – Your World and My World – track 8, "Take Me Sailing"
- 1981: Patti Austin – Every Home Should Have One – track 3, "The Way I Feel"
1982 – present
- 1982: Crystal Gayle – True Love – track 4, "Baby What About You"
- 1982: Johnny Van Zant – The Last of the Wild Ones – track 4, "Still Hold On"
- 1985: Kenny Rogers – Love Is What We Make It – track 3, "Still Hold On"
- 1985: Steve Wariner – Life's Highway – track 5, "In Love And Out of Danger"
- 1986: The Kendalls – Fire at First Sight – track 4, "I'll Take You "
- 1986: Reba McEntire – Whoever's in New England – track 1, "Can't Stop Now"
- 1987: Don Johnson – Heartbeat – track 1, "Heartbeat"
- 1987: Jesse Colin Young – The Highway Is For Heroes – track 1, "The Highway Is For Heroes"
- 1988: Bette Midler – Beaches – track 9, "Oh Industry"
- 1988: Highway 101 – 101² – track 2, "Road To Your Heart"
- 1988: Tuck & Patti – Tears of Joy – track 9, "Mad Mad Me"
- 1991: Cher – Love Hurts – track 7, "One Small Step"
- 1993: The Hooters – Out of Body – track 4, "Great Big American Car"
- 2001: Alison Krauss & Union Station – New Favorite – track 7, "I'm Gone"
- 2008: Sonny Landreth – From the Reach – track 7, "The Goin' On"
- 2009: Nicole Dillenberg – The Heart of the Matter – track 4, "Over YouKeane"
- 2010: Cindy Bullens – Howling Trains and Barking Dogs – track 5, "All My Angels"
- 2010: John Cowan – The Massenburg Sessions – track 1, "My Time in the Desert/Maggie Little"
- 2015: Home Free – Country Evolution – track 8, "Fishing in the Dark
As producer
- 1988: The Forester Sisters – Sincerely
- 1988: Suzy Bogguss – Somewhere Between
- 1989: Jonathan Edwards – Natural Thing
- 1989: New Grass Revival –
- 1990: Matraca Berg – Lying to the Moon
- 1992: Mitsou – Heading West – track 2, "Heading West"
- 1993: Rick Vincent – A Wanted Man
- 2005: Arthur Lee Land – Dragonfly
- 2007: Artie Traum – Thief of Time
- 2012: Lisa Haley – Joy Ride
- 2014: various artists – '' – track 2-04, "Something Fine"
Also appears on
1973 – 1979
- 1973: Linda Ronstadt – Don't Cry Now – backing vocals 'Don't Cry Now'
- 1974: Linda Ronstadt – Heart Like a Wheel – backing vocals on track 2, "It Doesn't Matter Anymore"
- 1976: Maria Muldaur - Sweet Harmony backing vocals
- 1976: Al Kooper – Act Like Nothing's Wrong – backing vocals
- 1976: Linda Ronstadt – Hasten Down the Wind – backing vocals
- 1977: Karla Bonoff – Karla Bonoff – backing vocals
- 1977: Tim Moore – White Shadows – backing vocals
- 1978: Maria Muldaur - Southern Winds – backing vocals
- 1979: Maria Muldaur - Open Your Eyes - backing vocals
- 1979: Karla Bonoff – Restless Nights – backing vocals
1980 – present
- 1980: Bob Welch – Man Overboard – backing vocals
- 1980: Bette Midler – In Harmony: A Sesame Street Record – backing vocals on 'Blueberry Pie'
- 1980: Amy Holland – Amy Holland – backing vocals
- 1980: Randy Meisner – One More Song – guitar, vocals on track 3, "Come on Back To Me"
- 1980: John Stewart – Dream Babies Go Hollywood – backing vocals
- 1982: Karla Bonoff – Wild Heart of the Young – backing vocals
- 1982: Nicolette Larson – All Dressed Up and No Place to Go – backing vocals
- 1983: Melissa Manchester – Emergency – backing vocals
- 1983: Randy Newman – Trouble in Paradise – backing vocals
- 1984: Jimmy Buffett – Riddles in the Sand – backing vocals
- 1984: Reba McEntire – My Kind of Country – backing vocals
- 1985: Dobie Gray – From Where I Stand – backing vocals
- 1985: Jimmy Buffett – Last Mango in Paris – backing vocals
- 1985: Hank Williams Jr. – Five-O – backing vocals
- 1986: Mac Davis – Somewhere in America – vocals