Episode #5: Rindy Ross from Quarterflash

I first met Rindy in the early 80s when she and her husband Marv were riding the wave of their crossover hit Harden My Heart. After years of playing in bars across the Pacific Northwest as Seafood Mama, they had recently been signed to Geffen Records, changing their name to Quarterflash. During their time with Geffen, they had four songs that charted on the top 40, and their self-titled debut album went platinum. They toured with Elton John, Linda Ronstadt, Sammy Hagar, Loverboy, The Beach Boys, Three Dog Night, Jefferson Starship, and more.

In 1991 Rindy and Marv started the Trail Band — a blend of Americana, Celtic, Folklorico, and early music. They recorded a total of 13 albums and performed across the U.S. and Japan. In Portland alone, the Trail Band's holiday show has sold out over 100 times and raised more than a million dollars for the nonprofit Friends of the Children. Quarterflash continued to perform and record during this time, releasing two more albums on their own label.

In addition to the creative projects she's been a part of, Rindy's worked as a teacher and counselor. She's my go-to buddy when I need someone who's thoughtful and wise to talk about the craziness of the music business and the big stuff of life too. Rindy's a survivor in more ways than one. I love how she's navigated life's ups and downs with integrity, wholeheartedness, and an awesome sense of humor.

For full show notes and transcriptions, please visit the Episode Webpage HERE.

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You can find Rindy at these websites: Ross Productions and Quarterflash.

The songs from today’s episode are titled Crazy Quilt and Rise Above and are from the Quarterflash album Goodbye Uncle Buzz (used with permission). To listen or download, go HERE.

Theme music for the Podcast was composed by John Smith. He edits all the podcast episodes too. (Thanks, honey!)