Wendy Flower
259 plays
7,112 views
7,112 views
Wendy Flower’s (of Wendy & Bonnie) “Flower Power” CD creates a ‘60s musical vibe for today’s families. It contains original folk-rock songs with positive messages for young people, as well as a cover of Rick Nelson's "Easy To Be Free." Themes include peace, brotherhood, freedom, hope, individuality, imagination, community, activism, the environment and animal rights. Its aim is to show kids that they CAN make a difference. Part of the proceeds goes to the Free The Children organization.Band/artist history
WENDY FLOWER
Melody and harmony have always played a major role in the life of Wendy Flower.
Wendy was born in San Francisco and raised in nearby Millbrae. Her parents were involved in music. Her father, drummer Arthur Flower was a fixture on the Bay Area scene, including a lengthy stint in the house band of famed Bimbo’s 365 Club. Her mother Jeane sang with big bands. Both taught music on the Peninsula.
So Wendy heard a wealth of jazz, as well as classical music during her childhood. She grew to love folk, pop, rock and Latin sounds.
Younger sister Bonnie played drums and guitar. Wendy learned to play numerous instruments, including violin, drums, piano, glockenspiel, recorder and more.
Wendy became the lead vocalist of the promising Bay Area band Crystal Fountain.
In 1969, in their early teens, Wendy & Bonnie recorded the now classic “Genesis” album. Though it was garnering interest from radio, TV and press, it quickly disappeared, due to the bankruptcy of the label, Skye Records.
Wendy subsequently sang with numerous other Bay Area bands. With sister Bonnie, she recorded jingles and added vocals on sessions with prominent artists, such as Cal Tjader.
Wendy earned her childhood education degree and taught music to young people and released a children’s music cassette, the much acclaimed “My Pet Songs,” in the late ‘80s.
She and her husband Paul Freeman wrote and recorded “We Care,” the theme song for Project Wee Care, an organization which enables children to help the homeless.
Meanwhile, “Genesis” had become a cult favorite. Interest from such artists as Stereolab and such producers as Irwin Chusid and Mike Alway led to the album’s release on CD via the Sundazed label. It earned rave reviews from North American, UK, European and Japanese critics. It received airplay on many college, free-form and folk radio and internet stations.
The innovative Welsh band Super Furry Animals chose a sample from “By The Sea,” one of the beloved songs from “Genesis,” to open their “Phantom Power” CD. While playing San Francisco’s legendary Fillmore Theater, they invited Wendy to join them on stage. She performed a duet of the band’s “Hello Sunshine” with front man Gruff Rhys to a standing, cheering, full house. SFA included the rehearsal of that number in their DVD documentary “American Sasquatch,” a bonus disc in their “Songbook: The Singles Vol.1.”
“By The Sea” is also featured on the new Andy Votel compilation, “Folk Is Not A Four Letter Word.”
Now Wendy is back with “Flower Power.” Originally inspired by Paul’s screenplay of the same title, this is a family-oriented, folk-rock, ‘60s-ish message album. Themes include peace, brotherhood, individuality, the environment and animal rights. Also included is a cover of Rick Nelson's "Easy To Be Free." A portion of the proceeds goes to Free the Children, a very admirable international organization.
Wendy and Paul have already written many of the songs for her next project, a “grown-up” rock/techno/folk/jazz/Wendy & Bonnie-ish CD. This will be her first foray into this territory since “Genesis.”
For more information, visit wendyflower.comYour musical influences
Beatles; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; Joni Mitchell; Byrds; Simon & Garfunkel; Beach Boys; Classical; Jazz (Gary McFarland, Cal Tjader, Gabor Szabo); Laura Nyro; Jackie DeShannon; Dusty Springfield; Hollies; Billie Holiday; Current artists -- Super Furry Animals, Stereolab, Monade, Broadcast, Jane Weaver & Misty Dixon.Anything else?
We are currently working on a new album of pop/rock/folk/jazz that will be more in the vein of Wendy & Bonnie's "Genesis."All comments (1)
259 plays
7,112 views
7,112 views
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Paul
@romper
Good tunes! "Scales belong on lizards" too!