Singer/songwriter John Hiatt, who sold out Merrill Auditorium last year, will return for an encore performance Thursday, July 13. Opening the 7:30 p.m. show will be the North Mississippi All-Stars.
Hiatt, a touring musician for almost three decades, first gained success as a songwriter. He moved to Nashville shortly after his high-school graduation and quickly found a job penning lyrics for Tree Publishing. In 1974, Three Dog Night recorded Hiatt’s “Sure As I’m Sittin’ Here,” which climbed as high No. 16 on the charts.
His first love, however, was performing his own tunes, a practice he continued during his time as a songwriter.
His persistence paid off, with Epic Records signing him to a deal in 1974. Unfortunately, while the resulting albums “Hangin’ Around the Observatory” and “Overcoats” were critically acclaimed, their sales never matched and Epic dropped him.
After being fired from Tree, the Indiana-born singer decided to try his luck in Los Angeles. The record label MCA took a chance and signed the talent. He produced two critical successes, “Slug Line” and “Two Bit Monsters,” which sold poorly before MCA unceremoniously canceled his contract.
In 1981, yet another label came calling. Geffen tapped producer Tony Visconti, who had previously worked with David Bowie and T. Rex, to help Hiatt produce an album that would sell.
However, neither “All of A Sudden” nor “Riding With the King” moved units, although they were again liked by critics. Geffen gave Hiatt one more chance with 1985’s “Warming Up to the Ice Age,” but they dropped him when the record failed financially.
Hiatt was experiencing personal troubles during this period as well. His second wife committed suicide shortly after the completion of “Warming Up.”
Furthermore, the struggle for success was driving him to drink and eventually he developed a heavy dependence on alcohol.
However, he successfully completed rehab, remarried and by 1986, he had a new record contract – this time with A & M. Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe and Jim Keltner joined Hiatt in the studio to record the aptly titled “Bring the Family.” With this album, Hiatt found some modicum of financial success as it reached No. 107 on the U.S. charts.
Hiatt slowly developed a dedicated cult following, and follow-up albums “Slow Turning” (1988) and “Stolen Moments” (1990) both charted. Also during this time, artists such as Bob Dylan, Ronnie Milsap and Iggy Pop covered his songs.
Throughout the 1990s, Hiatt released a steady stream of albums and watched as his following grew. 1994 saw his first live album, “Hiatt Comes Alive at Budokan,” hit shelves, while “Walk On” (1995) and “Little Head” (1997) charted. “Crossing Muddy Waters” and “The Tiki Bar Is Open” charted in 2000 and 2003, respectively.
The North Mississippi All-Stars began in 1996 as a side project of the D.D.T. Big Band. After showcasing its talent at Dixie Fried ’96, the band started to play regularly at such venues as B.B. King’s, Blues Hall and Black Diamond on Beale Street in Memphis Tenn., well as opening for Jakob Dylan and the Wallflowers on a national tour.
The North Mississippi All-Stars are a fixture on the Southern festival scene, veterans of Springing the Blues, the King Biscuit Festival, the Vicksburg Blues Festival and a host of others.
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