It isn't just bands that are under-appreciated; individual rock artists also slip through the cracks. As an example, though Allmusic has considerable information on her, Wikipedia does not have so much as a stub on WENDY WALDMAN, a talented and experimental singer/songwriter who has released several well-regarded albums beginning in the 1970's. Wendy Waldman is best known today as one of the songwriters behind the gorgeous Vanessa Williams hit song from 1991, 'Save the Best for Last'.
Wendy Waldman first gained success when Maria Muldaur ('Midnight at the Oasis') included several of Waldman's songs on her two 1974 albums. Wendy Waldman later became a close friend of Linda Ronstadt and also toured with her for a period of time in the late 1970's and early 1980's; they collaborated on a song, 'I Want a Horse' for the 1980 Sesame Street LP, In Harmony.
My personal favorite among Wendy Waldman's albums is Strange Company, a 1978 release that has Waldman performing more as a rock bandleader than a singer/songwriter; 'Long Hot Summer Nights' was a regional hit that still echoes in my interior playlist from time to time more than 30 years later. Several of the other musicians on this album ' who formed a band having the unfortunate name the Cretones ' also backed Linda Ronstadt on her 1980 New Wave album, Mad Love. Sadly, none of Wendy Waldman's albums has sold over 25,000 copies, but she has continued to tour and record ever since, both as a solo artist and as part of a band ' most recently, the Refugees.
Along with Kenny Edwards, Andrew Gold and Karla Bonoff, Wendy Waldman was part of a band called Bryndle that formed in the late 1960's and was active on the L.A. scene for several years without making any records. The four members of Bryndle have all had successful careers, and each had a close association with Linda Ronstadt later in the decade. Kenny Edwards had been a founding member with Linda Ronstadt in the band Stone Poneys ('Different Drum') prior to the formation of Bryndle, and he later recorded and toured with Linda for about 10 years beginning in the mid-1970's. Andrew Gold was also a key member of Linda Ronstadt's backup band in the same time period. Gold had a mid-1970's hit as a solo artist, 'Lonely Boy'; and one of his songs, 'Thank You for Being a Friend' was selected to be the theme song for the TV series Golden Girls. Karla Bonoff was one of many songwriters that Linda Ronstadt introduced via the covers on her albums, notably 'Someone to Lay Down Beside Me'. Bryndle eventually reformed in the early 1990's and ultimately released their debut album in 1995, Bryndle.
Along with Kenny Edwards, Andrew Gold and Karla Bonoff, Wendy Waldman was part of a band called Bryndle that formed in the late 1960's and was active on the L.A. scene for several years without making any records. The four members of Bryndle have all had successful careers, and each had a close association with Linda Ronstadt later in the decade. Kenny Edwards had been a founding member with Linda Ronstadt in the band Stone Poneys ('Different Drum') prior to the formation of Bryndle, and he later recorded and toured with Linda for about 10 years beginning in the mid-1970's. Andrew Gold was also a key member of Linda Ronstadt's backup band in the same time period. Gold had a mid-1970's hit as a solo artist, 'Lonely Boy'; and one of his songs, 'Thank You for Being a Friend' was selected to be the theme song for the TV series Golden Girls. Karla Bonoff was one of many songwriters that Linda Ronstadt introduced via the covers on her albums, notably 'Someone to Lay Down Beside Me'. Bryndle eventually reformed in the early 1990's and ultimately released their debut album in 1995, Bryndle.
More recently, in 2007, Wendy Waldman formed a band called the Refugees with two other music veterans, Cindy Bullens and Deborah Holland. When it became clear that Sting would not be returning to the fold, the two remaining members of the Police, Stewart Copeland and, briefly, Andy Summers formed a band in 1987 with Deborah Holland and virtuoso bassist Stanley Clarke that was initially called Rush Hour; after Summers exited the group, the name was changed to Animal Logic. Holland, however, supplied nearly all of the songwriting for the band.
Until I created a short article a couple of months ago, Cindy Bullens would have been a natural choice as an Under-Appreciated Rock Artist of the Month, since she had also languished without any Wikipedia recognition. Her 1978 debut album, Desire Wire is one of the great lost rock albums of the 1970's ' and that is Allmusic's opinion as well as mine. Cindy Bullens also contributed vocals on three songs to the soundtrack for the movie Grease, notably 'It's Raining on Prom Night'; and she received a Grammy nomination for her efforts.
