The thought of Bruce Hornsby honestly hadn’t crossed my mind since I was in high school listening to his hits on the radio. I’m sure you’ll remember “Every Little Kiss”, “Mandolin Rain” and of course “The Way It Is” when you hear them. Those songs were all on his debut record, which won Bruce Hornsby and The Range the 1987 Grammy for Best New Artist. “The Way It Is” was Hornsby’s first — and biggest hit. The song is sensitive to issues of poverty, homelessness and the fight for civil rights and it was embraced by listeners and many different artists who recorded their own versions of it through the years. But my own 20-year dismissal of Bruce Hornsby was my loss. Bob went to interview Hornsby before a recent concert he gave at Wolftrap outside Washington, DC and I volunteered to produce the piece. Bruce Hornsby was schooled in many different forms of music. He was a jazz major at the University of Miami and Hornsby grew up going to bluegrass festivals in southern Virginia. Last year he released two new CDs that indulge both of those passions. Hornsby leads a jazz trio that includes Christian McBride on bass and Jack DeJohnette on drums. Their CD is called “Camp Meeting.” His other new project is an album of traditional bluegrass with the great mandolin player Ricky Skaggs. That CD is called simply “Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby.” Hornsby also still records and tours with his band “The Noisemakers.” In 2006, Bruce Hornsby released a career-spanning four-CD box set called “Intersections” which really showcases the range of his talent and the range of his collaborations. That box set also includes a DVD which features Hornsby’s performances with artists such as The Grateful Dead, B.B. King, Lou Reed, Chaka Khan, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Roger Waters, Pat Metheny, Bonnie Raitt and Branford Marsalis. Hornsby and Marsalis first got together to record “The Star-Spangled Banner” for Ken Burns’ PBS Baseball documentary. I hope you enjoy the show. And speaking of shows, click here to see when and where Bruce Hornsby will be playing this summer.
-Chad
Thanks for spotlighting an often over-looked musical genius. I’ve loved Hornsby for 20 years and it’s great to listen to him talk about his career.
Not only is he a brilliant musician, but he seems to be just a plain "nice guy".
I love your show! Keep up the excellent work!
This was a good piece and … being a serious fan of Hornsby’s for 2 decades, I found myself wishing for something different than the usual homage for the uninitiated. E.g. I would have loved to hear more about Hornsby as a singer and band leader. To see him and the Noisemakers is to witness virtuosity. Bruce did say he has to keep his band from burning out, thus, the avoidance of turning shows into museum pieces. I’d love to pursue that topic. How in the world do they alter the songs so much, shift in and out of the songs, and seem never to miss a beat? Also, Bruce’s vocal chops are exceptional. How has he developed that talent? Bob, if you ever get him back on the show, this is what I’d like to learn.
The Bruce Hornsby piece was greatly appreciated. I’ve trapped myself into a pair of full-time jobs, both of which I enjoy, but this leaves me so busy that pleasure, especially the pursuit of musical pleasure, is something that I’ve denied myself most of the time. Your program reminded me of what I’m missing. Hornsby’s love of music, his familiarity, skill, range, and ability to humbly articulate the experience of his career was a pleasure to encounter. Thank you!
Another steller music production on your part, Chad, and a fine blog post, too. Keep ’em coming.