We are very excited to have John Hiatt back on our stage! His well crafted grooves and floating melodies are a perfect match for our acoustically pristine Hall.
John found inspiration in the groundbreaking songs of Bob Dylan, another figure with an encyclopedic knowledge of and love for vintage American music, plus the ability to communicate sentiments and feelings many Americans either feared or pretended didn’t exist. Early covers of his work by the Neville Brothers, Ronnie Milsap, Bonnie Raitt and many others began alerting music lovers to his compositional flair.
Hiatt began gaining equal notoriety as a performer, particularly a stint where he served as America’s answer to the angry Brits of the late ‘70s, plus some time working with Ry Cooder. The evidence of his evolution into a formidable artist also became more apparent in his live shows. Soon such seminal releases as Bring The Family in 1987, Slow Turning in 1988, Stolen Moments in 1990, and Walk On in 1995 were the signal that he had become a distinctive and dynamic star. Hiatt’s greatness couldn’t be denied, and he subsequently made three more astonishing releases as the 21st century began: Crossing Muddy Waters in 2000 reaffirmed his songwriting chops (as if that was necessary), The Tiki Bar Is Open showcased the rock ‘n’ roll roots and Beneath This Gruff Exterior revealed an artist still capable of surprising, shocking and delighting his audience.
