Wendy Waldman

Waldman grew up in the Los Angeles area and 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.[1]

In 1969 she married her first husband, Ken Waldman, and changed her name to Wendy Waldman.Youtube video with Waldman speaking

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.[1] Bryndle re-formed in the early 1990s and released two albums before disbanding again in the mid 2000s.[2]

Waldman released her first album, Love Has Got Me,[3] in 1973 and Rolling Stone named her "singer-songwriter debut of the year."[4] The same year, Maria Muldaur covered two of Waldman's songs on her self-titled first album.[5]

She followed her debut album with Gypsy Symphony in 1974,[6] Wendy Waldman in 1975,[7] The Main Refrain (1976), and Strange Company in 1978.[8]

In 1982, Waldman released Which Way to Main Street, which featured Peter Frampton on guitar.[9]

Waldman left the Warner Bros. label in 1979. In 1982, she moved to Nashville to focus on songwriting.[4]

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.[10] They have also written songs made popular by artists such as Madonna, Celine Dion, and Earth, Wind & Fire.[11]

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.[12]

Waldman has been one of only a few women who produce records in a male-dominated profession.[13]

In 2007, Waldman formed The Refugees with Cidny Bullens and Deborah Holland.[14]

• 1973: Love Has Got Me (Warner Bros.)
• 1974: Gypsy Symphony (Warner Bros.)
• 1975: Wendy Waldman (Warner Bros.)
• 1976: The Main Refrain (Warner Bros.)
• 1978: Strange Company (Warner Bros.)
• 1982: Which Way to Main Street (Epic)
• 1987: Letters Home (Cypress)
• 1997: Environments 16 – City of Dreams (FirstCom)
• 2007: My Time in the Desert (Longhouse)

• 1996: Love Is the Only Goal: The Best of Wendy Waldman (Warner Archives)
• 2003: Seeds and Orphans (Longhouse)
• 2009: Seeds and Orphans, Vol. 2 (Longhouse)
• 2012: Back By Fall: A Retrospective (Longhouse)

• 1975: "Western Lullaby" / "Green Rocky Road" (Warner Bros.)
• 1976: "Living Is Good" / "The Main Refrain" (Warner Bros.)
• 1978: "Long Hot Summer Nights" / "You'll See" (Warner Bros.)
• 1982: "Does Anybody Want to Marry Me" (Epic)
• 1982: "Heartbeat" (Epic)
• 1987: "Living in Hard Times" (Cypress)

• 1995: Bryndle (MusicMasters)
• 2002: House of Silence (self-released)

• 2009: Unbound (Wabuho)
• 2012: Three (Wabuho)
• 2019: How Far It Goes (Wabuho)

• 1973: Maria Muldaur – Maria Muldaur (Reprise) – track 10, "Vaudeville Man"; track 11, "Mad Mad Me"
• 1974: El Chicano – Cinco (MCA) – track 7, "Gringo En Mexico"
• 1974: Maria Muldaur – Waitress in a Donut Shop (Reprise) – track 2, "Gringo En Mexico"
• 1975: Judy Collins – Judith (Elektra) – track 11, "Pirate Ships"
• 1976: Barbi Benton – Something New (Playboy) – track 11, "Thinking of You"
• 1976: Maria Muldaur – Sweet Harmony (Reprise) – track 7, "Back by Fall"; track 9, "Wild Bird"
• 1976: Twiggy – Twiggy (Mercury) – track 8, "Vaudeville Man"
• 1980: Randy Meisner – One More Song (Epic) – track 2, "Gotta Get Away"; track 3, "Come on Back to Me"; track 5, "I Need You Bad"; track 7, "Trouble Ahead" (all songs co-written with Eric Kaz and Randy Meisner)
• 1981: Kim Carnes – Mistaken Identity (EMI America) – track 6, "Break The Rules Tonite (Out of School)" (co-written with Dave Ellingson and Kim Carnes); track 7, "Still Hold On" (co-written with Dave Ellingson, Eric Kaz, and Kim Carnes)
• 1981: Albert Hammond – Your World and My World (Columbia) – track 8, "Take Me Sailing"
• 1981: Patti Austin – Every Home Should Have One (Qwest) – track 3, "The Way I Feel" (co-written with Eric Kaz)

• 1982: Crystal Gayle – True Love (Elektra) – track 4, "Baby What About You" (co-written with Josh Leo)
• 1982: Johnny Van Zant – The Last of the Wild Ones (Polydor) – track 4, "Still Hold On" (co-written with Dave Ellingson, Eric Kaz, and Kim Carnes)
• 1983: Helen Reddy - Imagination (MCA) Side Two, track 2, "The Way I Feel" (co-written with Eric Kaz)
• 1983: Helen Reddy - Imagination (MCA) Side Two, track 5, "Heartbeat" (co-written with Eric Kaz)
• 1985: Kenny Rogers – Love Is What We Make It (Liberty) – track 3, "Still Hold On" (co-written with Dave Ellingson, Eric Kaz, and Kim Carnes)
• 1985: Steve Wariner – Life's Highway (MCA) – track 5, "In Love And Out of Danger" (co-written with Craig Bickhardt)
• 1986: The Kendalls – Fire at First Sight (MCA) – track 4, "I'll Take You (Heartache And All)" (co-written with Donnie Lowery)
• 1986: Reba McEntire – Whoever's in New England (MCA) – track 1, "Can't Stop Now" (co-written with Gary Nicholson)
• 1987: Don Johnson – Heartbeat (Epic) – track 1, "Heartbeat" (co-written with Eric Kaz)
• 1987: Jesse Colin Young – The Highway Is For Heroes (Cypress) – track 1, "The Highway Is For Heroes" (co-written with Jesse Colin Young)
• 1988: Bette Midler – Beaches (Original Soundtrack Recording) (Atlantic) – track 9, "Oh Industry" (co-written with Bette Midler)
• 1988: Highway 101 – 101² (Warner Bros.) – track 2, "Road To Your Heart" (co-written with Jim Photoglo and Josh Leo)
• 1988: Tuck & Patti – Tears of Joy (Windham Hill Jazz) – track 9, "Mad Mad Me"
• 1991: Cher – Love Hurts (Geffen) – track 7, "One Small Step" (co-written with Barry Mann and Brad Parker)
• 1993: The Hooters – Out of Body (MCA) – track 4, "Great Big American Car" (co-written with Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman)
• 2001: Alison Krauss & Union Station – New Favorite (Rounder) – track 7, "I'm Gone" (co-written with Eric Kaz)
• 2008: Sonny Landreth – From the Reach (Landfall) – track 7, "The Goin' On" (co-written with Sonny Landreth)
• 2009: Nicole Dillenberg – The Heart of the Matter (self-released) – track 4, "Over YouKeane"
• 2010: Cindy Bullens – Howling Trains and Barking Dogs (MCD Records) – track 5, "All My Angels" (co-written with Cindy Bullens)
• 2010: John Cowan – The Massenburg Sessions (e1) – track 1, "My Time in the Desert/Maggie Little" (co-written with Sally Barris and Shad Cobb)
• 2015: Home Free – Country Evolution (Columbia) – track 8, "Fishing in the Dark (co-written with Jim Photoglo)

• 1988: The Forester Sisters – Sincerely (Warner Bros.)
• 1988: Suzy Bogguss – Somewhere Between (Capitol)
• 1989: Jonathan Edwards – Natural Thing (MCA / Curb)
• 1989: New Grass Revival – (Friday Night in America (Capitol)
• 1990: Matraca Berg – Lying to the Moon (RCA)
• 1992: Mitsou – Heading West (Tox) – track 2, "Heading West"
• 1993: Rick Vincent – A Wanted Man (Curb)
• 2005: Arthur Lee Land – Dragonfly (Perfect Groove)
• 2007: Artie Traum – Thief of Time (Roaring Stream)
• 2012: Lisa Haley – Joy Ride (Blue Fiddle)
• 2014: various artists – Looking into You: A Tribute to Jackson Browne (Music Road) – track 2-04, "Something Fine"

• 1973: Linda Ronstadt – Don't Cry Now (Asylum) – backing vocals 'Don't Cry Now'
• 1974: Linda Ronstadt – Heart Like a Wheel (Capitol) – backing vocals on track 2, "It Doesn't Matter Anymore"
• 1976: Maria Muldaur - Sweet Harmony (Warner Bros.) backing vocals
• 1976: Al Kooper – Act Like Nothing's Wrong (United Artists) – backing vocals
• 1976: Linda Ronstadt – Hasten Down the Wind (Asylum) – backing vocals
• 1977: Karla Bonoff – Karla Bonoff (Columbia) – backing vocals
• 1977: Tim Moore – White Shadows (Asylum) – backing vocals
• 1978: Maria Muldaur - Southern Winds (Warner Bros.) – backing vocals
• 1979: Maria Muldaur - Open Your Eyes (Warner Bros.) - backing vocals
• 1979: Karla Bonoff – Restless Nights (Columbia) – backing vocals

• 1980: Bob Welch – Man Overboard (Capitol) – backing vocals
• 1980: Bette Midler – In Harmony: A Sesame Street Record (Warner Bros.) – backing vocals on 'Blueberry Pie'
• 1980: Amy Holland – Amy Holland (Capitol) – backing vocals
• 1980: Randy Meisner – One More Song (Epic) – guitar, vocals on track 3, "Come on Back To Me"
• 1980: John Stewart – Dream Babies Go Hollywood (RSO Records) – backing vocals
• 1980 Linda Ronstadt "Live In Hollywood" (RHINO) -HBO TV Special -backing vocals
• 1982: Karla Bonoff – Wild Heart of the Young (Columbia) – backing vocals
• 1982: Nicolette Larson – All Dressed Up and No Place to Go (Warner Bros.) – backing vocals
• 1983: Melissa Manchester – Emergency (Arista) – backing vocals
• 1983: Randy Newman – Trouble in Paradise (Warner Bros.) – backing vocals
• 1984: Jimmy Buffett – Riddles in the Sand (MCA) – backing vocals
• 1984: Reba McEntire – My Kind of Country (MCA) – backing vocals
• 1985: Dobie Gray – From Where I Stand (Capitol) – backing vocals
• 1985: Jimmy Buffett – Last Mango in Paris (MCA) – backing vocals
• 1985: Hank Williams Jr. – Five-O (Warner Bros.) – backing vocals
• 1985: Rick Cua – You're My Road (Sparrow) - vocals
• 1986: Mac Davis – Somewhere in America (MCA) – vocals