I was honored to appear in Seattle at the annual concert for St. Jude’s, compliments of the delightful Maria Brunner, manager, entrepreneur, and all-around quiet force of nature. Stephen Bishop was also at that concert, which was fabulous fun. But the real bonus besides the great weekend in Seattle was the chance to visit with one of my most favorite people in the world, the brilliant Jeff Heiman, who had been instrumental in building the early record label Windham Hill for Will Ackerman, including Jeff’s signing of George Winston, which changed the game forever. Jeff also managed Bryndle during our productive years from the ‘90s into the 2000s. I have always loved this man and deeply respected his perspective and insight into the world of the music industry. It was a privilege to work with him. We met in Seattle, and Jeff told me that he had a colleague who was starting up a video production studio and that if I wished, I might be able to shoot some video the day after the concert. This was George Varghese, who had built a beautiful room somewhere in the lovely hills above Seattle, complete with grand piano and all the bells and whistles. We actually did two videos that day, and I’m thrilled to finally be able to release this one of "New Mexico Cadillac." I am SO grateful to Jeff and George for the rare opportunity to film in such a beautiful manner. Oh and here’s the story of NM Cadillac:
"New Mexico Cadillac"
Written by Reed Nielsen and Wendy Waldman
I met a gorgeous, brilliant songwriter in Los Angeles—in the days when I still lived in Nashville. His name was Reed Nielsen. He was perhaps one of the best writers and singers I’d ever met. I adored everything he wrote and sang, and I was privileged to write quite a few tunes with him. He wrote many hits with and for Vince Gill, but the art songs were all with me. He is deeply missed. The last thing we wrote together was this tune, “New Mexico Cadillac,” when we were both in Nashville. The song hearkens to the many times I was hanging out in Santa Fe with my family but more significantly, the delightful and wicked Santa Fe artists I came to know and love. I imagined this tune—as a cautionary tune to a nice family who foolishly lets their princess go to Santa Fe—and is never the same.
Video produced by George Varghese at Verge Studios, Seattle Cameras by Brittany Rogers and George Varghese (https://vergestudiosmusic.com). The studio version of Wendy Waldman's "New Mexico Cadillac" appears on the LP My Time In The Desert.