Bonnie Hayes - Career 1990's and Beyond

Career 1990's and Beyond

In 1991-2, Hayes joined Billy Idol on the road for almost two years in support of his record Cradle of Love. and played briefly with Bruce Springsteen (2000).

In 1996, Hayes was signed to Fuel records and recorded Empty Sky in Los Angeles, with Savage again in the producer's chair. Drawing on session players Keith Brown (bass), Alvino Bennett (drums), brother Chris (guitar), and a guest appearance by Huey Lewis playing harmonica on a version of Bobby Gentry's "Ode to Billy Joe", this release is a toned-down, jazzier follow-up to the stillborn IRS project. Bottomless, written for Hayes' daughter was later covered by Bette Midler.

In 1999, Hayes moved back to the Bay Area from Los Angeles and embarked on a production career. She continues to record at various Marin County studios with mostly singer-songwriter clients, and plays with her band the Superbonbons as well as the Marin County guitarist Danny Click.

in 2004 she released the CD "Love in the Ruins", written after Hayes learned to play the guitar. The record the strong songwriting for which she's known and features a capricious rough-edged quality evocative of her first record with a rootsier, Americana sound.

She continues to teach songwriting at Blue Bear, including designing and implementing the youth summer camp program there. She also serves as a trustee on the Blue Bear board. She has also taught at the Berklee College of Music, the Stanford Jazz Workshop, the REO Songwriting Retreat outside of Vancouver B.C, the ASCAP workshops in Los Angeles, and at the WCS Conference at Foothill College. Students of hers have won various songwriting prizes, such as:

• the John Lennon songwriting contest
• the WCSA songwriting contest
• the Soulmaking contest