Wendy Waldman
American singer, songwriter, and record producer
About Wendy Waldman
Born 1950. Wendy Waldman is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and recording artist.
Wendy Waldman (born Wendy Steiner; November 29, 1950) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer.
Biography Early life 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.
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.
Recordings Waldman released her first album, Love Has Got Me, in 1973 and Rolling Stone named her "singer-songwriter debut of the year." The same year, Maria Muldaur covered two of Waldman's songs on her self-titled first album.
She followed her debut album with Gypsy Symphony in 1974, Wendy Waldman in 1975, The Main Refrain (1976), 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. 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 (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) 1996: The Mountains (FirstCom) 1997: City of Dreams (FirstCom) 2007: My Time in the Desert (Longhouse)
Compilations 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)
Singles 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)
As a member of Bryndle 1995: Bryndle (MusicMasters) 2002: House of Silence (self-released)
As a member of the Refugees 2009: Unbound (Wabuho) 2012: Three (Wabuho) 2019: How Far It Goes (Wabuho) 2023: βCaliforniaβ (Wabuho)
As composer 1973 β 1981 1973: Maria Muldaur β Maria Muldaur (Reprise) β track 10, "Vaudeville Man"; track 11, "Mad Mad Me" 1974: El Chicano β Cinco (MCA) β track 7, "Gringo En Mexico" 1974: Maria Muldaur β Waitress in a Donut Shop (Reprise) β track 2, "Gringo En Mexico" 1975: Judy Collins β Judith (Elektra) β track 11, "Pirate Ships" 1976: Barbi Benton β Something New (Playboy) β track 11, "Thinking of You" 1976: Maria Muldaur β Sweet Harmony (Reprise) β track 7, "Back by Fall"; track 9, "Wild Bird" 1976: Twiggy β Twiggy (Mercury) β track 8, "Vaudeville Man" 1980: Randy Meisner β One More Song (Epic) β 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 β Mistaken Identity (EMI America) β 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 β Your World and My World (Columbia) β track 8, "Take Me Sailing" 1981: Patti Austin β Every Home Should Have One (Qwest) β track 3, "The Way I Feel" (co-written with Eric Kaz)
1982 β present 1982: Crystal Gayle β True Love (Elektra) β track 4, "Baby What About You" (co-written with Josh Leo) 1982: Johnny Van Zant β The Last of the Wild Ones (Polydor) β 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 β Love Is What We Make It (Liberty) β track 3, "Still Hold On" (co-written with Dave Ellingson, Eric Kaz, and Kim Carnes) 1985: Steve Wariner β Life's Highway (MCA) β track 5, "In Love And Out of Danger" (co-written with Craig Bickhardt) 1986: The Kendalls β Fire at First Sight (MCA) β track 4, "I'll Take You (Heartache And All)" (co-written with Donnie Lowery) 1986: Reba McEntire β Whoever's in New England (MCA) β track 1, "Can't Stop Now" (co-written with Gary Nicholson) 1987: Don Johnson β Heartbeat (Epic) β track 1, "Heartbeat" (co-written with Eric Kaz) 1987: Jesse Colin Young β The Highway Is For Heroes (Cypress) β track 1, "The Highway Is For Heroes" (co-written with Jesse Colin Young) 1988: Bette Midler β Beaches (Original Soundtrack Recording) (Atlantic) β track 9, "Oh Industry" (co-written with Bette Midler) 1988: Highway 101 β 101Β² (Warner Bros.) β track 2, "Road To Your Heart" (co-written with Jim Photoglo and Josh Leo) 1988: Tuck & Patti β Tears of Joy (Windham Hill Jazz) β track 9, "Mad Mad Me" 1991: Cher β Love Hurts (Geffen) β track 7, "One Small Step" (co-written with Barry Mann and Brad Parker) 1993: The Hooters β Out of Body (MCA) β track 4, "Great Big American Car" (co-written with Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman) 2001: Alison Krauss & Union Station β New Favorite (Rounder) β track 7, "I'm Gone" (co-written with Eric Kaz) 2008: Sonny Landreth β From the Reach (Landfall) β track 7, "The Goin' On" (co-written with Sonny Landreth) 2009: Nicole Dillenberg β The Heart of the Matter (self-released) β track 4, "Over YouKeane" 2010: Cindy Bullens β Howling Trains and Barking Dogs (MCD Records) β track 5, "All My Angels" (co-written with Cindy Bullens) 2010: John Cowan β The Massenburg Sessions (e1) β track 1, "My Time in the Desert/Maggie Little" (co-written with Sally Barris and Shad Cobb) 2015: Home Free β Country Evolution (Columbia) β track 8, "Fishing in the Dark (co-written with Jim Photoglo)
As producer 1988: The Forester Sisters β Sincerely (Warner Bros.) 1988: Suzy Bogguss β Somewhere Between (Capitol) 1989: Jonathan Edwards β Natural Thing (MCA / Curb) 1989: New Grass Revival β (Friday Night in America (Capitol) 1990: Matraca Berg β Lying to the Moon (RCA) 1992: Mitsou β Heading West (Tox) β track 2, "Heading West" 1993: Rick Vincent β A Wanted Man (Curb) 2005: Arthur Lee Land β Dragonfly (Perfect Groove) 2007: Artie Traum β Thief of Time (Roaring Stream) 2012: Lisa Haley β Joy Ride (Blue Fiddle) 2014: various artists β Looking into You: A Tribute to Jackson Browne (Music Road) β track 2-04, "Something Fine"
Also appears on 1973 β 1979 1973: Linda Ronstadt β Don't Cry Now (Asylum) β backing vocals 'Don't Cry Now' 1974: Linda Ronstadt β Heart Like a Wheel (Capitol) β backing vocals on track 2, "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" 1976: Maria Muldaur - Sweet Harmony (Warner Bros.) backing vocals 1976: Al Kooper β Act Like Nothing's Wrong (United Artists) β backing vocals 1976: Linda Ronstadt β Hasten Down the Wind (Asylum) β backing vocals 1977: Karla Bonoff β Karla Bonoff (Columbia) β backing vocals 1977: Tim Moore β White Shadows (Asylum) β backing vocals 1978: Maria Muldaur - Southern Winds (Warner Bros.) β backing vocals 1979: Maria Muldaur - Open Your Eyes (Warner Bros.) - backing vocals 1979: Karla Bonoff β Restless Nights (Columbia) β backing vocals
1980 β present 1980: Bob Welch β Man Overboard (Capitol) β backing vocals 1980: Bette Midler β In Harmony: A Sesame Street Record (Warner Bros.) β backing vocals on 'Blueberry Pie' 1980: Amy Holland β Amy Holland (Capitol) β backing vocals 1980: Randy Meisner β One More Song (Epic) β guitar, vocals on track 3, "Come on Back To Me" 1980: John Stewart β Dream Babies Go Hollywood (RSO Records) β backing vocals 1980 Linda Ronstadt "Live In Hollywood" (RHINO) -HBO TV Special -backing vocals 1982: Karla Bonoff β Wild Heart of the Young (Columbia) β backing vocals 1982: Nicolette Larson β All Dressed Up and No Place to Go (Warner Bros.) β backing vocals 1983: Melissa Manchester β Emergency (Arista) β backing vocals 1983: Randy Newman β Trouble in Paradise (Warner Bros.) β backing vocals 1984: Jimmy Buffett β Riddles in the Sand (MCA) β backing vocals 1984: Reba McEntire β My Kind of Country (MCA) β backing vocals 1985: Dobie Gray β From Where I Stand (Capitol) β backing vocals 1985: Jimmy Buffett β Last Mango in Paris (MCA) β backing vocals 1985: Hank Williams Jr. β Five-O (Warner Bros.) β backing vocals 1985: Rick Cua β You're My Road (Sparrow) - vocals 1986: Mac Davis β Somewhere in America (MCA) β vocals
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Important facts
People in Wendy Waldman's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Wendy Waldman's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Wendy Waldman?
American singer, songwriter, and record producer
When was Wendy Waldman born?
Wendy Waldman was born on 29 November 1950 in Los Angeles.
What is Wendy Waldman's occupation?
Wendy Waldman is a singer-songwriter, record producer and recording artist.
What nationality is Wendy Waldman?
Wendy Waldman is American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Wendy Waldman. https://biography.guide/wendy-waldman/
MLA: "Wendy Waldman." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/wendy-waldman/.
Chicago: "Wendy Waldman." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/wendy-waldman/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 Β· Spot an error? Report a correction.
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