BIOGRAPHY
Norma Cecilia Tanega (1939-2019) was an American singer-songwriter, painter, and experimental musician born in Vallejo, California, and raised in Long Beach. She earned an MFA at Claremont College in 1962, studying Gershwin and Copland while teaching herself guitar and autoharp from Joan Baez records. Produced by Herb Bernstein and Bob Crewe, her debut single "Walkin' My Cat Named Dog" reached number 22 on both the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Charts in 1966, and number 3 in Canada. Her songwriting often broke from standard pop structure, as in "No Stranger Am I," set in 5/4 time. In England she began a five-year relationship with Dusty Springfield, co-writing songs for her including "Earthbound Gypsy" and "Come for a Dream" (with Antônio Carlos Jobim). In the 1980s she joined Brian Ransom's Ceramic Ensemble, performing on handmade earthenware instruments at festivals and museums.