They are best known for hits such as "Any Way the Wind Blows" (1989), which was used in the soundtrack for the film Pink Cadillac starring Clint Eastwood and Bernadette Peters, and "New Shade of Blue" (1988, their highest-ranking single on the country charts in November of that year).

The band was formed in 1983 with former Doobie Brothers members Keith Knudsen and John McFee and bassist Jerry Scheff.

Jenkins left after Zuma and the group remained a quartet for the final album County Line (1990) which included the single "Any Way The Wind Blows" that was used in the Pink Cadillac soundtrack and film that same year.

After Southern Pacific's breakup, Knudsen and McFee and Cook formed the super group, Jackdawg, and recorded one album.

Southern Pacific's four studio albums were reissued in 2003 by specialty label Wounded Bird Records in two double-CD packages.