Linda Perhacs: Dental Hygienist & Music Legend

The incredible story of the dental hygienist Linda Perhacs who as a young woman in 1970 published a groundbreaking album that nobody noticed. Half a century later she discovered that it had gone worldwide on the Internet.

Linda Perhacs was discovered and then rediscovered. It's only now that her unique talent is really being celebrated. The California-based singer/songwriter published a ground-breaking album in 1970 which went largely unnoticed at the time. The album might have been lost and forgotten completely had it not been for the rise of the Internet and the New Weird America movement around 2000.

"It came out of thin air." In the interview, Perhacs talks of her inspirations, and she explains that her father's family are deeply spiritual people who are guided by inner voices. She describes how she hears voices talking to her from above and within, and on occasion is able to actually visualize the music, making drawings to help her remember these complicated musical sculptures.

Linda Perhacs worked most of her life as a dental hygenist in Beverly Hills, leading a quiet and solitary life, spending her free time on long walks in nature. When she was young, she had many hippie friends, and although she never went to concerts or did drugs, she was influenced by the hippie ideas.

Through her job as a dentist in Hollywood, she met lots of movie people and became friends with award-winning composer Leonard Rosenman, who realized her musical potential and decided he wanted to work with her. Today Parrallelograms, Linda Perhac's first -- and for decades only -- album is regarded as a psych-folk masterpiece. The album was reissued in 2005 and again in 2008. Perhac's songs have been featured in soundtracks to many films including Daft Punk's Electroma. In March 2014 Perhacs' released her second record The Soul of All Natural Things.

Linda Perhacs was interviewed by Christian Lund in Copenhagen in 2014

Camera by Simon Weye

Editing by Kamilla Bruus

Produced by Christian Lund

Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2014

Supported by Nordea-fonden

[larryurbon]

Her "Parallelograms" is truly a gem.  For a young woman to have come up with that many great original songs, basically as an amateur musician, is incredible. 

[t.c.bramblett]

Her voice is so tactile and comforting

[meggiecallaghan]

this has me in tears, what a beautiful person

[danbull]

Discovered Linda nearly a decade ago now and still haven't found anything that quite matches her style. Dewdrops on cobwebs.

[StarfieldRailway]

The fact that I know of the existence of that album is indicative of one of the great things about the internet. Information travels so much better now.

[goodtimefolkrock]

Parallelograms is a truly amazing piece of avant-garde folk rock hauntingly beautiful!

[jommp]

I just discovered Linda Perhacs today, thanks to an interview with Mikael Akerfeldt from Opeth. What an amazing voice and songwriter. I'm blown away by Parallelograms. So ahead of its time. Thank you for producing this feature about her.

[pppp]

I'm glad I discovered her music :D

[dawnrichardson]

I put Nick Drake's first record on to take a nap after lunch. I am recovering from a partial thickness burn and am a burn care outpatient. So I nap every day to facilitate my recovery and wound healing. I drifted back out of sleep just now to the song "Paralellograms." What a masterpiece.

[jackfrance]

I remember.  Linda's "Hey, Who Really Cares?" was the theme song of the short-lived TV show "Matt Lincoln" 1970-71 starring Vince Edwards.  My late wife Kathy loved that song.

[acusticadam]

That was over too quickly. I could spend hours listening to her talk and sing. I’m so glad she has got out recently to do some live performing.

[kpdelaney]

I’m here from “Hey, Who Really Cares”. It’s such a beautiful song. Great interview. I’m going to listen to her other songs now.

[smashandcreate]

Finding Lindas music is truly a gift. The way she builds her music around her uniquely soft way of viewing life is wonderful. I feel like i have searched for something like this for a long time. The first time i heard parallelohrams i just sat there in awe and cried. Even without seeing her drawings you get a strong visual sense from the music. Shes an absolute genius.

[eternalom]

What a treat to hear Linda tell her story. I feel everything she says, it almost brings me to tears.

[MrJeffreyDR]

Typed in "Linda Perhacs interview" and this is what the search yielded. Jackpot! This is just what I was looking for, and somehow better. Thanks youtube and Louisiana Channel.

[eliseyoung]

Wow, what a beautiful and ethereal soul.

[pressley]

I gained so much more wisdom from the video than I thought I would. incredibly bright woman, so thankful I found her music.

[blondie]

found this woman from the beautiful horses by Bloodbath64 and so happy to witness her wisdom and talent

[stacyblue]

Her music is on its own level. I am in awe. Stunned. I just heard her today. But maybe i heard her a bit in the past. I dont know but I know she is amazing.I am just blown away by her.

[ricobonifacio]

Love all her albums. Her voice is a true treasure. Seems like a sweetheart of a woman as well.