John Hiatt Tickets

About John Hiatt

But it would be hard to challenge the 17 song choices on The Best Of John Hiatt. Such titles as "Cry Love," "Slow Turning," "Drive South," "Angel Eyes" and "Thing Called Love" - which are included - are truly representative of one of the most significant and valued song catalogs in contemporary rock music, though many of Hiatt's songs, and many of those showcased here, have crossed over into virtually all genres of pop music.

Indeed, Hiatt's copyrights have been covered by the varied and stellar likes of Bob Dylan, Jewel, Paula Abdul, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Jeff Healy, Don Dixon, Rodney Crowell, Roseanne Cash, Iggy Pop, Willie Nelson, John Doe, Mitch Ryder, Desert Rose Band, Dave Edmunds and Linda Ronstadt. And while he has said that he doesn't consider himself a professional songwriter, Hiatt has been rewarded by that profession with Grammy nominations, as well as the artist songwriter of the year citation presented at last year's Nashville Music Awards in recognition of his extraordinary achievements, both as artist and songwriter.

Over the decades, and in various quests to land his audience, the presentation of Hiatt's resilient songs changed to fit the times. Beginning in the mid-'70s, he went from singer-songwriter to Elvis Costello-ish rocker to progressive-country/adult alternative icon. However, they all bear the craft of a superlative writer who finds his voice with both tender ballads and hotwired rockers.

John Hiatt (born August 20, 1952) is an American musician with a growing following, who gets airplay on alternative radio stations. He has played a variety of styles, including New Wave, rock and roll, blues and country. Though he has achieved modest mainstream fame as a performing and recording artist since he debuted as a solo artist in 1974, Hiatt's songs have been covered by Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, Nick Lowe, the Neville Brothers, Emmylou Harris, Three Dog Night, Dr. Feelgood, Bonnie Raitt, Ronnie Milsap, Willie Nelson, B. B. King with Eric Clapton, Paula Abdul, and Mandy Moore. His first album to chart at all was Bring the Family (1987). He continues to gain fame as a respected songwriter and performer into the present.

John Hiatt started his musical career in Indianapolis, Indiana as a teenager. He played in a variety of local clubs, most notably the Hummingbird. Hiatt played with a variety of bands, one of which was The Four Fifths. Hiatt moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he got a job as a songwriter for the Tree-Music Publishing Company. Hiatt, who was unable to read or write scores, had to record all 250 songs he wrote for the company. Hiatt wrote the song, Sure As I'm Sitting Here, which performed by Three Dog Night rose to number 16 on the Billboard chart. Hiatt meanwhile began playing with a band, White Ducks, which recorded an album, In Season, in 1972. Hiatt performed with both the White Ducks, and solo in a variety of clubs around Nashville. Hiatt met Don Ellis of Epic Records in 1973, and received a record deal, releasing his first single We Make Sprit later that year. In 1974 Hiatt released Hangin' Around the Observatory, which was a critical success and a commercial failure. A year later Overcoats was released, and when it failed to sell, Epic dropped Hiatt. Hiatt would suffer a similar fate with his next two labels, both MCA Records and Geffen Records dropped him. While working with Geffen, Hiatt received some praise however, he had been called "the American Elvis Costello" by some. Hiatt even recorded a duet with Costello, a cover of the Spinners' song, Living A Little, Laughing A Little, which appeared on Warming Up to the Ice Age. Hiatt finally came into success in 1987, when he released his first big hit, Bring the Family. For the album Hiatt had a backing band consisting of Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe, and Jim Keltner. Shortly after its release, Bob Dylan covered Hiatt's song, The Usual which had appeared on "Warming Up to the Ice Age.