Born and raised in St. Louis, Rosalinde Block was classically trained for a career as a concert pianist. Alas, her mother’s dreams flew out the window the minute Rosalinde was old enough to turn on a radio.

KATZ and KXLW, the two AM soul stations in the St. Louis area, were the source of great r&b throughout the week, Cajun and Zydeco on Saturday night, and of course, gospel all day Sunday. St. Louis being one of the gospel hubs of the U.S., Rosalinde and her father would take Sunday drives through the inner city neighborhoods where they could hear music pouring from the many storefront churches. Those memories have since transformed themselves into some of Rosalinde’s most edifying musical moments. Years later she would perform her songs in many of the wonderful gospel churches in the New York area. There she has felt that same bliss—up close and personal.

As a preteen, Rosalinde worked at a local record store—long before child labor laws went into effect. Perks from that job included free admission to the “Motortown” Revues at Kiel Auditorium, where she would ultimately work her way backstage to hang out with Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Martha Reeves and many more of the great Motown artists. During the ‘60s, wonderful music could be heard on a shoestring.

Sometimes the neighborhood movie theatre would bring in live acts; Rosalinde could hear James Brown, The Impressions and The Isley Brothers sharing a bill for $2.50. For her 13th birthday, her dad took her to Chicago’s Old Town to hear Marvin Gaye perform at the Whiskey-A-Go-Go. Being the only kid in the audience and visibly the only one singing along, Marvin repeatedly shared the mike with Rosalinde and invited her to his dressing room to hang out. Those memories live in a framed autographed napkin which proudly hangs next to Rosalinde’s piano.

Other music that would have a major influence on her songs came from the strong vocal groups—most notably the Beach Boys—the ultimate harmonizers—from where she learned not to ooh and ahh, but rather to “unhh.” These are the musical roots that would shape her career as a songwriter.

Four years at Sarah Lawrence College opened Rosalinde up to a whole new world of music, as she immersed herself in Traffic, Santana and the Grateful Dead. She began signing her autograph as Carole King and Laura Nyro, since everybody was comparing her to the reigning singer/songwriters. However, her own songwriting took a quantum leap when she eared into Steely Dan. She never wrote a straight chord again.

Rosalinde moved to NYC in 1974. In a matter of weeks, she was picked up by Columbia Records and was recording her demos at the original CBS Studios on 52nd Street with such session greats as Bernard “Pretty” Purdie and Richard Tee. She thought she had hit pay dirt and had no idea that there would be another 30+ years of career-hustling ahead of her.

The early ‘70s found her peddling songs up and down Sixth Avenue and showcasing them in NYC clubs such as The Bottom Line, The Bitter End, The Village Gate and Tramps. She was riding on the caboose of the Brill Building era, when a writer could still walk into an office, sit down at the piano and try out new songs. She spent hours pounding out tunes for Don Kirshner as well as placing material with Warner/Chappell, MCA, Motown-Jobete, CBS/Sony and RCA. Rosalinde also did a lot of jingle work. It was through those sessions that she was recommended to Al Kooper as a back-up singer—her first US tour. Rosalinde later stumbled into the doo-wop revival tour scene playing keyboards for The Impalas of “Sorry, I Ran All The Way Home” fame. The Impalas would double-book with Tito Puente. It didn’t get better than that.

Not only has Rosalinde worked in concert halls, cabarets and night clubs, but she has also performed on cruise ships and played more piano bars than she would care to count. Her vast repertoire of standards is well utilized as she performs for audiences in hospitals, hospices, nursing homes and senior centers. As a crossover artist, Rosalinde has found niches in jazz venues such as Knickerbockers, Lush Life and the Sunday Jazz Vespers at St. Peter's Citicorp Center. She has performed in “Women in Jazz” festivals, the New York Daily News Summer Concert series, "First Night," and she has brought her songs into churches with some of the finest gospel choirs in the NY community.

As a teacher, Rosalinde spent many years running music programs at inner-city schools as well as working with private students. She also participated in the Mentors and Protégés program under the auspices of the New York Philharmonic/ Barnes & Noble Young Composer Series; there she drew from her classical training, helping kids create their own compositions — from writing and arranging to recording. Rosalinde continues to work with several dozen children and adult beginners, teaching classical/ jazz/pop piano as well as songwriting.

Rosalinde spent the early ‘90s as a member of the BMI-Lehman Engel Music Theater Workshop. In 2005-2006 she wrote music and lyrics for an off-Broadway show and is now writing a film musical.

As for her r&b/pop / gospel material, “The Rosalinde Block Party” is the name she gives to her ever-evolving sound, bringing in a steady stream of stellar talent to help record and perform her songs. Rosalinde’s music can now be heard not only in the NY/NJ/CT area, but it has reached the AMA playlist, getting extensive airplay in the southeast as well as on radio and internet stations across Europe.

The multi-talented Rosalinde is a commissioned writer/artist/illustrator. She has created many children’s books, several currently being developed for television.
For more information, visit www.baby-wood.com

Rosalinde is presently working on two books of essays for adults. One of her essays is featured in Chicken Soup — The Cancer Book (3/2009—Jack Canfield/Simon & Schuster). Rosalinde lives in Manhattan with her son Joe.