Wendy Waldman and Cidny Bullens Bring 'The Best' to Fiddlers Crossing

It's impossible to put one label on Wendy Waldman. She is a critically acclaimed recording artist, a writer of multi-platinum songs in genres ranging from country and cowboy music to pop, film, jazz, Latin and R&B. She is also a teacher of guitar and songwriting, a classically trained pianist, and one of the first distinguished women record producers.

Waldman is also a spell binding performer, as the audiences in 2011 and 2012 in a packed Fiddlers Crossing will attest. She keeps the audience enthralled with her humor, her beautiful voice, and her instrumental virtuosity.

Wendy Waldman will perform at Fiddlers Crossing for the third time on Saturday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m. For this concert, Wendy is bringing up a former bandmate, Cidny Bullens, who was part of a trio called "The Refugees." Both performers have had long careers as solo artists and Grammy-nominated songwriters.

Waldman's songs have been recorded by more than 70 artists. Probably her best known hits are "Save The Best For Last" and "The Sweetest Days" sung by Vanessa Williams; "Fishin' In The Dark" and "Home Again In My Heart" sung by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band; "Baby What About You" by Crystal Gayle; "I Owe You One" by Aaron Neville; "Heartbeat" by Don Johnson, and "I'm Gone" by Alison Krauss. "Fishin' in the Dark" was also released by Garth Brooks. "Save the Best for Last" garnered her a Grammy nomination. "Corn, Water and Wood," which she co-wrote with Carol Elliot, was recorded by Michael Martin Murphey and won the Wrangler Award from the Cowboy Hall of Fame.

Her songs have also been recorded by Maria Muldaur, Linda Ronstadt, Kim Carnes, CeCe Winans, NewGrass Revival, Randy Travis, Randy Meisner, Edgar Winter, Jesse Colin Young, Percy Sledge, Kenny Rogers, Judy Collins, Melissa Manchester, Rita Coolidge and Bette Midler to name just a few.

In the early seventies, Waldman formed the band Bryndle with Karla Bonoff, Andrew Gold, and Kenny Edwards. The band re-formed in the 1990s, toured and released two albums. She has produced albums for Suzy Bogguss New Grass Revival, The Forester Sisters, Jonathan Edwards, Sweden's Elisabeth Andreassen, and The Sweethearts of the Rodeo, and many others.

Cidny Bullens started as a back-up singer for Elton John after a chance meeting at a Hollywood party in the 1970s. Since then, he has accompanied John on multiple tours, racked up Grammy Award nominations for work on various albums, and has had several of Nashville co-writes recorded. Along the way, Bullens has also worked with Bob Dylan, Gene Clark, Rod Stewart, The Alpha Band, and Pop producer/writer Bob Crewe, and sang three lead vocals on the movie soundtrack of Grease.

Bullen's latest project is a one person show, "Somewhere Between: Not An Ordinary Life," which has been performed around the country.

Wendy Waldman and Cidny Bullens will surely bring their "best" to Tehachapi.

Tickets may be purchased next door at Mountain Music, at Tehachapi Treasure Trove, Tehachapi Furniture in Old Town, and Lucky's Barbershop, or online through Fiddlerscrossing.com. Tickets to the concert are $20, and as always, coffee and goodies are included. The concert begins at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. sharp.

On the horizon in 2017: Alex Zonn in "A Christmas Carol"; Molly's Revenge in "Winterdance."