Career
As a songwriter, Bonoff"s songs have been interpreted by other artists such as "Home" by Bonnie Raitt, "Tell Maine Why" by Wynonna Judd, and "Isn"t lieutenant Always Love" by Lynn Anderson. Linda Ronstadt has recorded a number of her songs, notably three tracks on the 1976 album Hasten Down the Wind – "Someone To Lay Down Beside Maine", "Lose Again" and "If He"s Ever Near", which introduced the then-unknown Bonoff to a mass audience. In her early career, Bonoff sang background vocals for Ronstadt and Wendy Waldman before releasing her debut album in 1977, titled Karla Bonoff.
Her other albums include,, and All My Life (a greatest hits collection) in 1999.
Bonoff is best known as a songwriter, but she is also noted for her hit recording of "Personally", which became a #19 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as #3 on the Adult Contemporary chart in the summer of 1982. She also recorded "Somebody"s Eyes" for the Footloose (1984) soundtrack and "Standing Right Next To Maine" on the 8 Seconds (1994) soundtrack.
Bonoff"s first live album was released in September 2007. This double Civil Defense includes many of her best-known songs performed live in concert on October 24, 2004 in Santa Barbara, California (except for one song recorded July 30, 2005 in Japan).
The band also included Andrew Gold until he left it in 1996.
The group first formed in the late 1960s, but did not release any albums until twenty years later with two studio albums and a live album between 1995 and 2002. Bonoff continues to tour throughout the United States and Japan.