Wendy Waldman - New Mexico Cadillac (Live in Seattle)

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.

OUT NOW: MY TIME IN THE DESERT

Longhouse Records presents Wendy Waldman’s critically acclaimed album My Time In The Desert, now streaming everywhere for the first time. Produced by Waldman and Michael Boshears, the LP features several iconic songs co-written by Wendy, including the classics “Save The Best For Last” and “Fishin’ In The Dark.”

NOW STREAMING

Visit Wendy's Longhouse Gallery On Etsy!

Welcome to the Longhouse Gallery, my little shop on Etsy. I’ve always loved folk art, jewelry, clothes, paintings, weaving and other textile art, all manner of arts and crafts, from all over the world. I have collected lots of things in my travels to Mexico, Europe, the Southwest and that new universe, the internet.

When I’m not in the studio, I practice a few of my favorite arts myself and have included some things of mine in the shop.

I have extremely talented artist friends as well, and will include their work too.

Think of it as one of those funky shops you might come across in some cool district of some town: fun stuff, very diverse, and hopefully always surprising. Don’t be surprised if you find designer bags and clothing next to funky Mexican tin folk art next to a hand loomed scarf.

New things get added when I have a chance. I hope you enjoy this little gallery.

Wendy's Longhouse Gallery on Etsy

"Bless This World" - new single produced by Wendy Waldman

In this second video collaboration between H.B. Barnum, Life Choir, Mietek Szcześniak, and Wendy Waldman, the wonderful Barnum-penned “Bless This World” expresses a mighty and beautiful prayer, sung by Mietek and the choir. This powerful song is part of the forthcoming LP 'Brothers.'

Written by H.B. Barnum • Performed by Mietek Szcześniak, H.B. Barnum & Life Choir • Drums: Scott Babcock • Bass: Carl Sealove • Keyboards and programming: H.B. Barnum and Pawel Zarecki • Produced by Wendy Waldman • Video Directed by David C. Smith and Agnieszka Wroblewska • Edited by Robert Fleet • Director of Photography: David C. Smith

Listen on linktr.ee/wendywaldman

Longhouse News and Musings - August 2021

(Woodland Hills, CA) - Long hot and strange summer we’ve had here on the new mountaintop in Woodland Hills, as has everyone else in the world—either too hot or too dry or too wet or too cold—all of us in this crazy boat fueled by climate change, pandemic, global violence, changing times. Seems to me these are all manifestations of some deeper imbalance or shift with different facets. But I’m just one old lady on a hilltop with some instruments and some pencils, so I can only speak for myself.   And I’m fully involved still moving into this magical and strange cabin up a steep driveway where I’ve built a new studio part one, and am finishing part 2 as I write.

It is true that my studies have continued. I managed to survive piano class online, a magnificent history of American popular music, and a summer drawing boot camp. The local community colleges here are superb and I’ve met some excellent teachers. Drawing boot camp was quite a revelation, being an art fanatic for most of my life: all it did was make it more so, but also got me over my fear of drawing.

And for my cats… The last of my mob of Five, the original feral kittens adopted many many years ago passed in the spring, and a new duo came to take up residence on the hill with me: the mysterious Luz and then little Marty, both of whom are growing like crazy and as a blessing, are both quite sweet and love each other very much. The new young cats have to represent and live on for the others who have gone before them, and like many of you guys out there, I’ve had magnificent pets in my life. These two are delightful. Cid Bullens was here, and we built a giant cat tower for them, see illustration…

Speaking of Cidny Bullens, the Refugees will be starting a new album in the winter of 2021, which promises to be adventurous, extremely musical and full of surprises.  We also will be doing some virtual appearances at Folk Alliance West in October and hopefully Folk Alliance in the spring. Look for some other appearances in different formats from the Refugees as well next year, pretty exciting.

Speaking of next year, the new Wendy Waldman cd is finally in its last days of editing and Rob Hoffman and I will be mixing it into the winter. We expect it to be out first quarter of January. Yes, I promised fall of 2021 but then I had a little health setback which cost me some time—just an appendectomy in April that threw off my schedule, all is well and healed now.

The Longhouse production house is going full on, we are mixing, at last, the magnificent  and fun collaboration between Mietek Szczesniak, HB Barnum, Life Choir, and me. We expect this to also be released in the first quarter of the new year. We’ve released two singles/videos from that project, with two more to go. You can see “There’s Water for You” and “Bless This World” on a number of formats.

In addition to that project, I’ve been most blessed and honored to produce the new cd by the Herculeons, the legendary John Cowan of New Grass Revival-now the bassist for the Doobie Brothers,  and Andrea Zonn, violinist and singer extraordinaire working with James Taylor. We tracked this album at Sound Emporium in Nashville in April of this year, with a mighty crew of musicians beside John and Andrea: Greg Morrow on drums, Darrell Scott on guitars, Abraham Parker on everything, Gary Prim on piano, Matt Rollings on piano, and the great Reese Wynans on organ, plus some other guests. It was a fantastic experience, and will be a great album. We’re mixing it out here at the Longhouse. 

Finally, we’re working with a brilliant songwriter-artist, Jared Stein, who writes in Hebrew and in English, and has assembled a marvelous group of songs that we recorded up here on the hill with Abraham Parker, Scott Babcock, Jared Stein, Carl Sealove, Justin, Mike, and Jamie Stein. This album is going to surprise many people. The songs are gorgeous—a world music cd that we’re thoroughly enjoying doing.

So, still moving in, still in construction, trying to study, mix, record, plant, stay safe, get to yoga class, remain optimistic, work for good,  and encourage my friends and family to keep on keeping on.  Wishing everyone the very best for the end of summer and beginning of fall. 

See you out there!

WW, Luz, and Marty