Over the last couple weeks I wanted to post a video from John Hiatt's latest release Open Road. The more I looked the more videos of his I watched. Hiatt is one of the greatest lyricists alive. He has been covered by tons of artists from Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, BB King, Jeff Healy, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and on it goes. He has been nomiated for eleven Grammies.
Hiatt plays a southern rock influenced by folk, country and the Blues.
Here he is performing Open Road on the Late Show with David Letterman.
During my drive back and forth to work last week I ended up listening to his 2003 release Beneath this Gruff Exterior. One song in particular stood out , Almost Fed Up with the Blues. Alas, while there is concert footage of Hiatt performing the song, I could not find a video for it.
I have most of his CDs, so, I went through his catalogue and remembered the first song of his that I ever did hear. The song that launched my interest in his music. Hiatt has a gift for the turn of phrase. For example, "I always thought my house was haunted cuz nobody said boo to me." Watch here the title track from his 1988 release Slow Turning.
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| John Hiatt |
Hiatt is one of the most, ahem... unsung songwriting heroes of our generation.
ReplyDeleteAhem... Yes.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who thinks of Jeff Healey thinks of his signature song Angel Eyes. Everyone assumes Healey wrote the song. It's a Hiatt tune.