John Hiatt‘s long road

Aug. 8, 2007

This weekend’s triple play offering of John Hiatt/Shawn Colvin and Bela Fleck and the Flecktones at Interlochen puts an exclamation point on one of its best Summer Arts Festival line ups in years. The “something-for-everyone” ensemble this summer was masterminded by Michael Albaugh—who is the acting director of the Music Department at Interlochen—and his successor better get busy now if he is going to outdo this year in 2008.
The greatest testament to any songwriter is to have his or her songs covered by other artists. But John Hiatt isn’t just any songwriter; some consider him to be “America’s Troubadour.” Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Willie Nelson—not a shabby bunch of songwriters themselves—have all recorded and had hits with Hiatt tunes. So have the Neville Brothers, Ronnie Milsap, Bonnie Raitt, Iggy Pop, Jewell, Don Henley, Buddy Guy, Three Dog Night, Eric Clapton and BB King.
Despite praise from critics over his 35-year musical career that includes 22 recordings and the respect from music industry legends, the roots-rocker remains one of those obscure artists who hasn’t reached household name status. What Hiatt has is better then the fleeting fame so many in this business end up with – he has staying power. His success is built on the foundation and appreciation for musical heritage, something Hiatt studies constantly. His most recent release, “Master of Disaster,” reflects that passion.
“I was trying to cover the great American musical experience with the songs on this album,” said Hiatt. “We were influenced by the blues, by country music, by ragtime, jazz, everything. But we were also reflecting the sense of the frontier, the whole Southern experience of different cultures and sounds bumping up against the Mississippi River.”

HITSVILLE?
Hiatt scoffs at any suggestion of a greatest hits album being released in the future.
“You have to have some hits first,” said Hiatt.
For the record, Hiatt’s previous label has put out a “Hiatt Greatest Hits” CD and there is also a “Best Of John Hiatt” CD.
For Hiatt fans, his songs have meaning – they evoke passion, they have something to say. He feels that is his obligation as a songwriter.
“One of my first songs I wrote back in sixth grade to impress a girl,” laughs Hiatt. “I found inspiration in Dylan’s songs when I was growing up. The Rolling Stones also inspired me. I really feel that not enough has been written about the Jagger/Richards songwriting team. They are one of the best of all times.”
At the start of his career Hiatt found a bumpy road. He floated between Nashville and L.A. While in California in the late ’70s, Hiatt played clubs and often opened for Leo Kottke (who will play Interlochen August 23). Kottke was impressed with Hiatt and introduced him Denny Bruce who became Hiatt’s manager and secured a recording contract for Hiatt with MCA.
Hiatt found the same results at MCA that he had with his first label deal in the mid-’70s with EPIC – critically acclaimed albums but no record sales. His label again dropped him. Without a label deal Hiatt joined up with Ry Cooder (Rolling Stone’s number eight best guitarist of all time) and played rhythm guitar in Cooder’s backing band.
Eventually, Hiatt signed his third label deal, this time with Geffen Records. Again his work met the same fate – rave reviews by the critics but poor sales. In 1985, after two albums, Geffen dropped him. In 11 years Hiatt had six albums under his belt and three labels. He was battling alcoholism and his life was further challenged when his wife committed suicide.

AN UPSWING
From deep in his battle with alcoholism, Hiatt entered rehab, eventually remarried and signed a new label deal with A&M records in 1986. He brought in Cooder, bassist Nick Lowe and drummer Jim Keltner and released “Bring the Family.” The album not only received great reviews it sold well, too.
However, in a follow-up attempt to the album, his all-star lineup of musicians did not return as a result of disagreements over money. Hiatt gathered studio musicians and successfully released “Slow Turning.” That did well in Europe where Hiatt toured in 1988, developing a whole new fan following.
In 1991 Hiatt rejoined Cooder, Lowe and Keltner to form Little Village, a band that many in the industry felt would be a “super group.” But Little Village struggled in the studio and on the road and was short-lived. Hiatt and the others in reflecting on Little Village attribute its demise to “battling egos.”
Hiatt returned to his solo career in the ’90s. He brought in members of the alternative rock bands School of Fish and Wire Train to release his critically acclaimed “Perfectly Good Guitar” CD in 1993. He followed up with his first live album, “Hiatt Comes Alive at Budokan.” In 1995 he signed with Capital records and released “Walk On,” which featured Bonnie Raitt and the Jayhawks, but the album failed to live up to its expectations in the sales department. In keeping with his legacy, Hiatt released a second album with Capital “Little Head,” and left the label shortly after the album found itself struggling with sales.
Hiatt found himself with a new label in 2000. His debut with Vanguard Records “Crossing Muddy Waters,” did well on the charts and with sales. He followed up with “The Tiki Bar is Open” a year later. Not wanting to change his “two albums and out” approach with labels, Hiatt left Vanguard and joined up with independent New West, where he released “Beneath This Gruff Exterior” in 2003 and his current CD, “Master of Disaster” in 2005. He plans to release a third album with New West in 2008.
Hiatt continues to tour the world, and this year he was honored as part of the sophomore class of the Nashville Music City Walk of Fame. Although he never had a number one hit (that he recorded) or an album in the top 10, Hiatt has built a worldwide fan base that sells out auditoriums. He will perform this Friday with Shawn Colvin opening at Interlochen’s Kresge Auditorium. Tickets and additional information may be found at interlochen.org.