Cindy Bullens
Encyclopedia
Cindy Bullens is an American singer and songwriter who grew up in Massachusetts
. She released two albums (DESIRE WIRE, STEAL THE NIGHT) in the late 1970s on United Artists
and Casablanca
and another on MCA in 1989 (CINDY BULLENS). Her 1978 debut album, Desire Wire is described flatly by William Ruhlmann in allmusic as: "One of the great lost rock albums of the '70s, Bullens' debut release is full of tough, passionate, incredibly catchy rock & roll played to the hilt and sung with fire". Her early albums anticipated later work by a host of 1980s female and female-identified rock artists, from Pat Benatar
, to Blondie
, to the Go-Go's
, to Headpins
.
She provided vocals on three songs ("It's Raining on Prom Night", "Mooning", and "Freddy, My Love") on the soundtrack of the 1978 feature film, Grease
. Her performance on the soundtrack earned her a Grammy Award
nomination for best rock vocal performance.
Bullens got her start in the music business by performing as a backup vocalist with Elton John
on three major tours, his album Blue Moves
, and his hit with Kiki Dee
, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart
" (both released in 1976). She withdrew from the music business in the early '80s to raise a family, returning in the early and mid 1990s as a songwriter and then later as a touring and recording artist. Since 1999, she has toured extensively all over the US, Canada, Europe and Australia, has appeared on several major TV shows, including Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Today Show, and CBS This Morning and many radio and TV stations around the world. She is featured in two documentaries, "On This Island" and "Space Between Breaths" (for which she scored the music). Cindy wrote the musical "Islands" in 2000, which played on Broadway for a special performance at the Victory Theatre in September 2001, two weeks after 9/11.
In 2001, Bullens released "Neverland" co-produced by Cindy and Ray Kennedy, the album features Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle and John Hiatt.
In 2005, Cindy released "dream #29" again co-produced with Ray Kennedy. The title track features Sir Elton John on piano. Delbert McClinton sings a duet with Bullens on "This Ain't Love" and Boston Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield adds his voice to "7 Days".
In 2007, Bullens formed a new group, The Refugees, with music veterans Wendy Waldman and Deborah Holland
. Their first CD, Unbound, was released in January, 2009, and their second CD, called 3, was released in mid-2011.
In June 2010, Cindy Bullens released her latest album "Howling Trains and Barking Dogs" on MC Records (Koch).
The CD is a compilation of co-written songs Cindy wrote in Nashville during the early and mid-1990s with Radney Foster, Bill Lloyd, Al Anderson, Matraca Berg, Mary Ann Kennedy and Kye Fleming, and Jimmy Tittle. The CD also includes two new songs by Cindy alone.
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. She released two albums (DESIRE WIRE, STEAL THE NIGHT) in the late 1970s on United Artists
United Artists Records
United Artists Records was a record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 initially to distribute records of its movie soundtracks, though it soon branched out into recording music of a number of different genres.-History:...
and Casablanca
Casablanca Records
Casablanca Records was an American record label started by Neil Bogart, who partnered with Cecil Holmes, Larry Harris, and Buck Reingold in 1973, and based in Los Angeles. The label was formed after all of them had left Buddah Records and secured financing by Warner Bros. Records to start the venture...
and another on MCA in 1989 (CINDY BULLENS). Her 1978 debut album, Desire Wire is described flatly by William Ruhlmann in allmusic as: "One of the great lost rock albums of the '70s, Bullens' debut release is full of tough, passionate, incredibly catchy rock & roll played to the hilt and sung with fire". Her early albums anticipated later work by a host of 1980s female and female-identified rock artists, from Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar
Pat Benatar is an American singer and four-time Grammy winner. She had considerable commercial success particularly in the United States...
, to Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
, to the Go-Go's
The Go-Go's
The Go-Go’s are an all-female American rock band formed in 1978. They made history as the first all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to top the Billboard album charts....
, to Headpins
Headpins
Headpins are a Canadian rock group, founded as a side project in the late 1970s by then Chilliwack members Ab Bryant and Brian MacLeod. Macleod was impressed by the vocal talents of Vancouver rock singer Denise McCann, and asked her to join his new venture...
.
She provided vocals on three songs ("It's Raining on Prom Night", "Mooning", and "Freddy, My Love") on the soundtrack of the 1978 feature film, Grease
Grease (film)
Grease is a 1978 American musical film directed by Randal Kleiser and based on Warren Casey's and Jim Jacobs's 1971 musical of the same name about two lovers in a 1950s high school. The film stars John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, and Jeff Conaway...
. Her performance on the soundtrack earned her a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nomination for best rock vocal performance.
Bullens got her start in the music business by performing as a backup vocalist with Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
on three major tours, his album Blue Moves
Blue Moves
Blue Moves is the eleventh studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1976. It was also his second double album , and his first album released by his own Rocket Records Ltd...
, and his hit with Kiki Dee
Kiki Dee
Kiki Dee is an English singer with a career spanning more than 40 years....
, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart
Don't Go Breaking My Heart
"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" is a duet by Elton John and Kiki Dee. It was written by Elton John with Bernie Taupin under the pseudonym "Ann Orson" and "Carte Blanche" , and intended as an affectionate pastiche of the Tamla Motown style, notably the various duets recorded by Marvin Gaye and singers...
" (both released in 1976). She withdrew from the music business in the early '80s to raise a family, returning in the early and mid 1990s as a songwriter and then later as a touring and recording artist. Since 1999, she has toured extensively all over the US, Canada, Europe and Australia, has appeared on several major TV shows, including Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Today Show, and CBS This Morning and many radio and TV stations around the world. She is featured in two documentaries, "On This Island" and "Space Between Breaths" (for which she scored the music). Cindy wrote the musical "Islands" in 2000, which played on Broadway for a special performance at the Victory Theatre in September 2001, two weeks after 9/11.
Recent work
In 1999, Cindy's album "Somewhere Between Heaven and Earth" was recorded in the first two years after the death of her daughter Jessie. It features Bonnie Raitt, Lucinda Williams, Rodney Crowell, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Bryan Adams, and top-tier musicians including George Marinelli, Benmont Tench, Kenny Edwards, and Michael Rhodes. With Cindy, Steven Soles co-produced one track, Tony Berg co-produced three tracks, and Rodney Crowell co-produced three tracks. It won the AFIM Best Rock Album in 2000 and was widely acclaimed.In 2001, Bullens released "Neverland" co-produced by Cindy and Ray Kennedy, the album features Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle and John Hiatt.
In 2005, Cindy released "dream #29" again co-produced with Ray Kennedy. The title track features Sir Elton John on piano. Delbert McClinton sings a duet with Bullens on "This Ain't Love" and Boston Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield adds his voice to "7 Days".
In 2007, Bullens formed a new group, The Refugees, with music veterans Wendy Waldman and Deborah Holland
Deborah Holland
Deborah Holland was the lead singer and songwriter of Animal Logic featuring Stanley Clarke and Stewart Copeland. Beginning her musical studies at age 14, Holland attended the Berklee College of Music and Rutgers University, from which she received her B.A...
. Their first CD, Unbound, was released in January, 2009, and their second CD, called 3, was released in mid-2011.
In June 2010, Cindy Bullens released her latest album "Howling Trains and Barking Dogs" on MC Records (Koch).
The CD is a compilation of co-written songs Cindy wrote in Nashville during the early and mid-1990s with Radney Foster, Bill Lloyd, Al Anderson, Matraca Berg, Mary Ann Kennedy and Kye Fleming, and Jimmy Tittle. The CD also includes two new songs by Cindy alone.