Pamela Polland
Encyclopedia
Pamela Polland is an American singer-songwriter who made three albums for Epic
and Columbia Records
in the 60s and 70s and whose songs have been recorded by a number of popular artists. In the 80s, she re-emerged as an independent recording artist and vocal coach, later working in film and TV scoring and Hawaiian music.
who accompanied her for performances of blues material.
Her recording career began a few years later, in 1966, when she and singer/songwriter Rick Stanley became The Gentle Soul, a folk band with psychedelic influences and an emphasis on creative and elaborate vocal harmonies. Their self-titled album appeared on Epic Records
together with a number of non-LP singles.
Following the dissolution of The Gentle Soul, Pamela set up home in Mill Valley, California before joining Joe Cocker
and Leon Russell
for the Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour in 1970. She can be heard and seen in the ensuing double album
and film documentary respectively.
, who recorded "Music, Music" for her gold-selling album of the same name in 1976, and Linda Rondstadt, who recorded "I'd Like To Know". Among the most widely recorded of her songs is "Tulsa County", which has been interpreted by The Byrds
, Bobby Bare
, Anita Carter
, and Jesse Davis
. More recently, singer/songwriter Alela Diane
recorded Polland's "See My Love" when she guested as a vocalist for The Headless Heroes' 2008 covers album, "The Silence of Love". The original version of "See My Love" appeared on "The Gentle Soul".
By the 80s, Polland had also established herself as a vocal coach, and she later released the instructional DVD "Vocal Ease".
in 1972. Owing to changes of personnel at Columbia, Polland's follow-up album, "Have You Heard The One About The Gas Station Attendant?" (1973), recorded in London with producer Gus Dudgeon
and featuring guest appearances from Joan Armatrading
, as well as several members of Elton John‘s
band and renowned arranger Paul Buckmaster
, was shelved. Her next solo album was not to be until 1995's "Heart of the World", which combined her pop and jazz leanings with New Age sensibilities. The album, produced by Gary Malkin (Graceful Passages), also sported guest spots from Kenny Loggins
, Bonnie Raitt
, The Byrds'
Chris Hillman
, as well as Mike Marshall and several other well recorded musicians.
Public interest in the Epic/Columbia years was reawakened from 2003 onwards, when "The Gentle Soul" was reissued on CD in America. This was followed by Japanese reissues of "The Gentle Soul" as well as "Pamela Polland". Subsequently, both albums, along with "Heart Of The World", were made available on iTunes
. The "Pamela Polland" album is also part of the Pandora internet radio library.
The unreleased 1973 Columbia album, believed to be an artistic triumph, has been referred to by Polland as "some of my best work". It is known that there are parties interested in exhuming it for official release, including Sony Music Japan, but that this is currently impeded by the misplacing of the master tapes at Sony Records in America who purchased the catalog some years ago.
that curtailed Polland's first solo career prompted a change of direction, and - in the mid-seventies - she resumed activities under the name Melba Rounds. The fictional Melba Rounds was a bawdy and lubricious blues and jazz madam whose repertoire spanned the 1920s to the 1940s. Polland's "Melba Rounds Show" proved a hit in San Francisco, and was noted for its exuberance, extravagant costumes and dancers. The Melba Rounds Show demonstrated the breadth of Polland's stylistic repertoire and spawned a ten-year stint for her as principal vocalist with The Golden Age jazz band.
81st birthday party as well as a command performance for Sir Anthony Hopkins.
In June 2010, Polland released "Hawaiianize
d", a five-track digital download EP available internationally via iTunes and other digital outlets. The mini-album, part one of an envisaged series, featured pop classics interpreted in Hawaiian style with new vocal arrangements and 'ukulele accompaniment from Polland. The collection was produced by John McFee
of The Doobie Brothers
, who had played on Polland's self-titled Columbia debut, and who also played a variety of acoustic and electric stringed instruments on the EP. The set's distinctive background vocals were sung by Sharon Celani, famous for her work with Stevie Nicks
and others. "Hawaiianize
d" was bookended by two different versions of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow", prompting Sam Arlen, son of the song's composer Harold Arlen
, to comment, "This version of my father's classic composition lifts the spirit while still tugging at the heartstrings to remind us that there is really no place like home. This disc deserves a home in your collection."
, on the island of Maui
.
Produced by Terry Melcher
Produced by George Daly
Unreleased album, completed and mastered, Produced by Gus Dudgeon
Produced by Gary Malkin
Produced by John McFee
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
and Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in the 60s and 70s and whose songs have been recorded by a number of popular artists. In the 80s, she re-emerged as an independent recording artist and vocal coach, later working in film and TV scoring and Hawaiian music.
Early Years
Pamela Polland composed her first song at the age of nine and by her teens was playing folk clubs. During this period, she formed a two-year alliance with Ry CooderRy Cooder
Ryland Peter "Ry" Cooder is an American guitarist, singer and composer. He is known for his slide guitar work, his interest in roots music from the United States, and, more recently, his collaborations with traditional musicians from many countries.His solo work has been eclectic, encompassing...
who accompanied her for performances of blues material.
Her recording career began a few years later, in 1966, when she and singer/songwriter Rick Stanley became The Gentle Soul, a folk band with psychedelic influences and an emphasis on creative and elaborate vocal harmonies. Their self-titled album appeared on Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
together with a number of non-LP singles.
Following the dissolution of The Gentle Soul, Pamela set up home in Mill Valley, California before joining Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
and Leon Russell
Leon Russell
Claude Russell Bridges , known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music....
for the Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour in 1970. She can be heard and seen in the ensuing double album
Mad Dogs and Englishmen (album)
Mad Dogs and Englishmen is Joe Cocker's 1970 live album, featuring a fusion of rock and soul. The album title is drawn from the 1931 Noël Coward song of the same name. Mostly Cocker's album is made up of covers, drawing equally from rock and soul...
and film documentary respectively.
Songwriter and Teacher
Polland's songs have been recorded by a considerable number of popular artists from the 60s onwards. These include Helen ReddyHelen Reddy
Helen Reddy , often referred to as "The Queen of 70s Pop", is an Australian-American singer and actress. In the 1970s, she enjoyed international success, especially in the United States, where she placed fifteen singles in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Six of those 15 songs made the Top 10...
, who recorded "Music, Music" for her gold-selling album of the same name in 1976, and Linda Rondstadt, who recorded "I'd Like To Know". Among the most widely recorded of her songs is "Tulsa County", which has been interpreted by The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
, Bobby Bare
Bobby Bare
Robert Joseph Bare is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is the father of Bobby Bare, Jr., also a musician.-Early career:...
, Anita Carter
Anita Carter
Ina Anita Carter , the youngest daughter of Ezra and Mother Maybelle Carter, was a versatile American singer who experimented with several different types of music and played stand-up bass with her sisters Helen Carter and June Carter Cash as The Carter Sisters...
, and Jesse Davis
Jesse Davis
Jesse Davis is an American jazz saxophonist. Davis began as a student in Ellis Marsalis's New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. After graduating, Jesse Davis embarked on a productive jazz career, recording 8 albums on the Concord Jazz label, alongside collaborations with such artists as Jack...
. More recently, singer/songwriter Alela Diane
Alela Diane
Alela Diane Menig is an American singer and songwriter living in Portland, Oregon.-Life and career:Alela Diane Menig, she grew up singing with her musician parents and performing in the school choir...
recorded Polland's "See My Love" when she guested as a vocalist for The Headless Heroes' 2008 covers album, "The Silence of Love". The original version of "See My Love" appeared on "The Gentle Soul".
By the 80s, Polland had also established herself as a vocal coach, and she later released the instructional DVD "Vocal Ease".
Solo Artist
Her emergence as a solo artist began with the self-written album "Pamela Polland", which appeared on Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in 1972. Owing to changes of personnel at Columbia, Polland's follow-up album, "Have You Heard The One About The Gas Station Attendant?" (1973), recorded in London with producer Gus Dudgeon
Gus Dudgeon
Angus Boyd Dudgeon , most commonly known as Gus Dudgeon was an English record producer, most notable for production of many of Elton John's recordings.-Early career:...
and featuring guest appearances from Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading, MBE is a British singer, songwriter and guitarist. Armatrading is a three-time Grammy Award-nominee and has been nominated twice for BRIT Awards as Best Female Artist...
, as well as several members of Elton John‘s
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
band and renowned arranger Paul Buckmaster
Paul Buckmaster
Paul John Buckmaster is a Grammy Award-winning English artist, arranger and composer.He began learning the cello at the age of 4 and graduated from the Royal College of Music at age 16....
, was shelved. Her next solo album was not to be until 1995's "Heart of the World", which combined her pop and jazz leanings with New Age sensibilities. The album, produced by Gary Malkin (Graceful Passages), also sported guest spots from Kenny Loggins
Kenny Loggins
During the next decade, Loggins recorded so many successful songs for film soundtracks that he was referred to as, King of the Movie Soundtrack.He began with "I'm Alright" , "Mr. Night", and "Lead the Way" from Caddyshack...
, Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide guitar player. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of acclaimed roots-influenced albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country, but she is perhaps best known for her more commercially...
, The Byrds'
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
Chris Hillman
Chris Hillman
Christopher Hillman was one of the original members of The Byrds which in 1965 included Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, and Michael Clarke....
, as well as Mike Marshall and several other well recorded musicians.
Public interest in the Epic/Columbia years was reawakened from 2003 onwards, when "The Gentle Soul" was reissued on CD in America. This was followed by Japanese reissues of "The Gentle Soul" as well as "Pamela Polland". Subsequently, both albums, along with "Heart Of The World", were made available on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. The "Pamela Polland" album is also part of the Pandora internet radio library.
The unreleased 1973 Columbia album, believed to be an artistic triumph, has been referred to by Polland as "some of my best work". It is known that there are parties interested in exhuming it for official release, including Sony Music Japan, but that this is currently impeded by the misplacing of the master tapes at Sony Records in America who purchased the catalog some years ago.
Melba Rounds
The unfortunate events at Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
that curtailed Polland's first solo career prompted a change of direction, and - in the mid-seventies - she resumed activities under the name Melba Rounds. The fictional Melba Rounds was a bawdy and lubricious blues and jazz madam whose repertoire spanned the 1920s to the 1940s. Polland's "Melba Rounds Show" proved a hit in San Francisco, and was noted for its exuberance, extravagant costumes and dancers. The Melba Rounds Show demonstrated the breadth of Polland's stylistic repertoire and spawned a ten-year stint for her as principal vocalist with The Golden Age jazz band.
Hawaii
Following the release of "Heart of The World", Polland's self-published third solo album, she moved to Maui, Hawaii, and threw herself into local culture and music. She took up the ‘ukulele, studied local language, and became a hula dancer. Polland is currently band leader of Keaolani, a four-piece ‘ukulele band tutored by Hawaiian cultural experts Kahauanu Lake and Walter Kamuala‘i Kawai‘ae‘a. She is also the co-founder of Maui Film Music, through which she provides film and TV scores with Bobby Parrs. Polland's achievements as an artist and performer in Hawaiian music are such that she was requested to appear at Tony Curtis'sTony Curtis
Tony Curtis was an American film actor whose career spanned six decades, but had his greatest popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in over 100 films in roles covering a wide range of genres, from light comedy to serious drama...
81st birthday party as well as a command performance for Sir Anthony Hopkins.
In June 2010, Polland released "Hawaiianize
Hawaiianize
The transitive verb to Hawaiianize means to take a physical product, word, or concept hitherto unrelated to Hawaiian culture, and confer a Hawaiian form, quality, and character upon it through various means. The word is an increasingly popular neologism, in the manner of Anglicise, Africanise, and...
d", a five-track digital download EP available internationally via iTunes and other digital outlets. The mini-album, part one of an envisaged series, featured pop classics interpreted in Hawaiian style with new vocal arrangements and 'ukulele accompaniment from Polland. The collection was produced by John McFee
John McFee
John McFee is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist, and long time member of the Doobie Brothers.-Biography:...
of The Doobie Brothers
The Doobie Brothers
The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band. The group has sold over 40 million units worldwide throughout their career. The Doobie Brothers were inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004.-Original incarnation:...
, who had played on Polland's self-titled Columbia debut, and who also played a variety of acoustic and electric stringed instruments on the EP. The set's distinctive background vocals were sung by Sharon Celani, famous for her work with Stevie Nicks
Stevie Nicks
Stephanie Lynn "Stevie" Nicks is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Fleetwood Mac and an extensive solo career, which collectively have produced over forty Top 50 hits and sold over 140 million albums...
and others. "Hawaiianize
Hawaiianize
The transitive verb to Hawaiianize means to take a physical product, word, or concept hitherto unrelated to Hawaiian culture, and confer a Hawaiian form, quality, and character upon it through various means. The word is an increasingly popular neologism, in the manner of Anglicise, Africanise, and...
d" was bookended by two different versions of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow", prompting Sam Arlen, son of the song's composer Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen
Harold Arlen was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, "Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the...
, to comment, "This version of my father's classic composition lifts the spirit while still tugging at the heartstrings to remind us that there is really no place like home. This disc deserves a home in your collection."
Personal life
Pamela is married to designer Bill Ernst with whom she has settled in HawaiiHawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, on the island of Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
.
Albums
- Gentle Soul - The Gentle Soul (Epic, BN 26374, 1968)
Produced by Terry Melcher
Terry Melcher
Terrence P. Melcher was an American musician and record producer, who was instrumental in shaping the sound of American West Coast rock music. His greatest contribution to the culture of the time was producing The Byrds' innovative hits "Mr Tambourine Man" and "Turn! Turn! Turn!" and his...
- Pamela Polland (Columbia, KC 31116, 1972)
Produced by George Daly
- Have You Heard The One About The Gas Station Attendant? (Columbia, 1973)
Unreleased album, completed and mastered, Produced by Gus Dudgeon
Gus Dudgeon
Angus Boyd Dudgeon , most commonly known as Gus Dudgeon was an English record producer, most notable for production of many of Elton John's recordings.-Early career:...
- Heart Of The World (Ivory Moon, 6795, 1995)
Produced by Gary Malkin
- Hawaiianized (Off The Leash/AWAL, 2010)
Produced by John McFee
John McFee
John McFee is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist, and long time member of the Doobie Brothers.-Biography:...