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The Grit & Soul of John Hiatt

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John Hiatt

Singer-songwriter John Hiatt's raspy voice and solid roots-rock sound isn't your typical cookie cutter sound.

I personally prefer his later work (post-1986), starting with the Slow Turning album, however I've developed this personal listening preference by listening to his eariler work on Riding with the King (1983) and Ya'll Caught (1989) and comparing those early works with several of his later albums.

The way I see it, is Riding with the King is the album where John Hiatt came into his own strengths and stopped trying to be what he thought the labels and the market wanted - pop or new-wave.

Listening to Ya'll Caught gives you a glimpse of the early years and early albums, and demonstrates solid Hiatt songwriting, but doesn't seem to be genuine Hiatt performances. Riding with the King has a few songs that feel like the young and eager-to-please Hiatt that seem typical for his 1974-1986 period, and also have several cuts that offer glimpses of the he-only-makes-good-music John Hiatt that has cranked out great albums since 1987. His Budokan release also has a few cuts from his earlier work.

If you're new to Hiatt, I recommend start listening to his 1987-present work, and if you're curious about his earlier work, listen to Ya'll Caught and - it seems fairly representative. You could also listen to Budokan and be mindful of the years the songs were written for perspective.

The shining example of a rockin' early song is the title track to Riding with The King, which Eric Clapton and B.B. King recorded together on an album of the same name.

Otherwise, I believe any later release (after 1986) would be good one. I've listened to most of them. And I rank them in a list below.

If you disagree, leave me a blurb in the guestbook? If you have a recommendation for a release of Hiatt's I haven't heard, blurb it too!

Favorite John Hiatt CDs

Doesn't take into consideration Little Head(1997), The Tiki Bar Is Open(2001), Master of Disaster(2005), or Live From Austin TX(2005), or six albums prior to 1986 (which were supposedly best represented in Ya'll Caught).

Crossing Muddy Waters, 2000.
Hiatt Comes Alive at Budokan?, 1994
Beneath This Gruff Exterior, 2003
Perfectly Good Guitar, 1993
Bring the Family, 1987
Slow Turning, 1988
Stolen Moments, 1990
Walk On, Capitol Records, 1995
Riding with the King, 1983
Little Village, 1992
Ya'll Caught, 1989

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Gold3 Apr 11, 2012 @ 1:42 pm | delete

I love John Hiatt

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CanterPR Feb 13, 2012 @ 2:34 pm | delete

A man who definitely deserves a lens. The new album is the best since Bring the Family I think.

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CanterPR Feb 13, 2012 @ 2:34 pm | delete

A man who definitely deserves a lens. The new album is the best since Bring the Family I think.

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Vallygems1 Dec 24, 2011 @ 4:20 am | delete

One of the unsung greats

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bothewebguy Nov 21, 2011 @ 2:55 pm | delete

John Hiatt is one of my favorite Singer-Song Writers!

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Feb 2, 2011 @ 1:15 am | delete

My favourite CD is "Beneath This Gruff Exterior". I have that and "Little Village" in the van when I'm delivering my starlight wedding backdrops in Essex. Graet lens. Thanks.

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fubiozza Sep 13, 2010 @ 7:59 am | delete

The above articles is very impressive, and I really enjoyed reading your blog and points that you expressed. I love to come back on a regular basis,post more on the subject.
Thanks for sharing...keep writing!!!

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The Grit & Soul of John Hiatt

John Hiatt

Contents at a Glance

Contents at a Glance

Favorite John Hiatt CDs

New Guestbook

Favorite John Hiatt Links

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John Hiatt YouTube vids - Have A Little Faith In Me

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