Before settling into a rootsy rock groove in the '90s, John Hiatt spent 20 years releasing a diverse set of solo recordings that swerved between blues, folk, soul, New Wave and country. Although many have drawn critical acclaim, as a whole he's been more successful as a songwriter for other artists.
Right out of high school, Hiatt lit out for Nashville, and got his start as a songwriter for Tree Publishing in Nashville. Within a short time, Three Dog Night had made a hit out of his "Sure As I'm Sittin' Here." Among an impressively long list of artists who also made his songs their own, Rosanne Cash topped the country charts with "The Way We Make A Broken Heart," Bonnie Raitt showcased his "Thing Called Love" on her Grammy-winning Nick Of Time, and Jeff Healy scored with "Angel Eyes." Eric Clapton and B.B. King made "Riding With The King" into King's highest-charting rock hit ever.
Throughout the years, Hiatt has kept good company with a cadre of musicians of the same earthy school of thought, including Ry Cooder (in whose touring band Hiatt played in the '80s), Nick Lowe and Jim Keltner. The trio backed Hiatt on his 1987 Bring The Family (perhaps his most impressive solo effort), and they reunited in 1992 for one album as a band called Little Village. Constantly in search of new infusions of inspiration, Hiatt was joined by members of Wire Train and School Of Fish for Perfectly Good Guitar, and the North Mississippi Allstars backed him on his well-received Master Of Disaster. Hiatt's 2008 self-produced Same Old Man features a guest appearance by his daughter Lilly.
Provenance: Indianapolis, Indiana
Latest Release: Same Old Man (2008)
© 2008 Nigel Music Media LLC. Used by permission.
John Hiatt
