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Bruce Hornsby

Bruce Randall Hornsby (born November 23, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. His music draws from folk rock, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Southern rock, country rock, jam band, rock, heartland rock, and blues rock musical traditions.[1][2]

Bruce Hornsby
Hornsby in 2019
Background information
Birth nameBruce Randall Hornsby
Born (1954-11-23) November 23, 1954 (age 68)
Williamsburg, Virginia, U.S.
GenresRock, gospel, heartland rock, jazz, bluegrass, blues rock
Occupation(s)Singer, musician
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • piano
Years active1974–present
LabelsRCA, CBS/Sony, Sony BMG, Vanguard, Sire
Websitebrucehornsby.com

Hornsby has won three Grammy Awards: a 1987 Grammy Award for Best New Artist with Bruce Hornsby and the Range, a 1990 Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Recording, and a 1994 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.

Hornsby has worked with his touring band Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers, his bluegrass project with Ricky Skaggs, and as a session and guest musician. He was a touring member of the Grateful Dead from September 1990 through March 1992, playing over 100 shows with the band.

His 23rd album, 'Flicted, was released in May 2022.

Early life and education Edit

Bruce Randall Hornsby was born in Williamsburg, Virginia, to Robert Stanley Hornsby (1920–1998), an attorney, real-estate developer and former musician, and Lois (née Saunier), a piano player and church community liaison who had a local middle school named after her.[3] He has two brothers, Robert Saunier "Bobby" Hornsby, a realtor with Hornsby Realty and locally known musician, and John Hornsby, an engineer with whom he has collaborated in songwriting.[4] They are cousins of actor David Hornsby.[5] While raised in the church of Christian Science, Hornsby went to doctors and dentists as needed. He had a politically liberal upbringing.[3]

Hornsby graduated from James Blair High School in Williamsburg in 1973, where he played on the basketball team and was chosen by his senior class as most likely to succeed.[6]

He studied music at the University of Richmond for a year, at the Berklee College of Music for two semesters, and then at the University of Miami, where he graduated in 1977.[7][8]

Career Edit

In 1974, Hornsby's older brother Bobby, who attended the University of Virginia, formed the band "Bobby Hi-Test and the Octane Kids" to play fraternity parties, featuring Bruce on Fender Rhodes and vocals.[9][10] The band, which is listed in Skeleton Key: A Dictionary for Deadheads, performed covers of Allman Brothers Band, The Band, and predominantly Grateful Dead songs.[10]

Bobby Hornsby's son, Robert Saunier Hornsby, was a recurring guest-guitarist with Hornsby's band and periodically toured with his uncle until his death on January 15, 2009, in a car accident near Crozet, Virginia at age 28.[11][12]

Following his graduation from the University of Miami in 1977, Hornsby returned to his hometown of Williamsburg, and played in local clubs and hotel bars. In 1980, he and his younger brother and songwriting partner John Hornsby moved to Los Angeles, where they spent three years writing for 20th Century Fox.[13] Before moving back to his native Hampton Roads, he also spent time in Los Angeles as a session musician. In 1982, Hornsby joined the band Ambrosia for their last album Road Island and can be seen in the band's video for the album's single "How Can You Love Me". After Ambrosia disbanded, he and bassist Joe Puerta performed as members of the touring band for Sheena Easton.[14] In 1984, Hornsby appeared in the music video for Easton's single Strut.[15]

The Range Edit

Bruce Hornsby and the Range
OriginLos Angeles, California/Williamsburg, Virginia, United States
GenresRock, pop rock, soft rock
Years active1984–1991
LabelsRCA Records
Past membersBruce Hornsby
David Mansfield
George Marinelli
Joe Puerta
John Molo

In 1984, Hornsby formed Bruce Hornsby and the Range, who were signed to RCA Records in 1985. Besides Hornsby, Range members were David Mansfield (guitar, mandolin, violin), George Marinelli (guitars and backing vocals), former Ambrosia member Joe Puerta (bass guitar and backing vocals), and John Molo (drums).

Hornsby's recording career started with the biggest hit he has had to date, "The Way It Is". It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1986.[16][17] The song described aspects of homelessness, the American civil rights movement and institutional racism.[18] It has since been sampled by at least six rap artists, including Tupac Shakur, E-40, and Mase.[17]

With the success of the single, the album The Way It Is received the RIAA certification of multi-platinum.[19] It included "Mandolin Rain" (co-written, as many of Hornsby's early songs were, with his brother John), another top-five hit.[17] "Every Little Kiss" peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1987.[20][17] Other tracks on the album helped establish what some labeled the "Virginia sound", a mixture of rock, jazz, and bluegrass.[21] Bruce Hornsby and the Range won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1987, beating out Glass Tiger, Nu Shooz, Simply Red, and Timbuk3.

Hornsby and the Range's sound was distinctive for its use of syncopation in Hornsby's piano solos, a bright piano sound and an extensive use of synthesizers as background for Hornsby's solos. John Molo's drumbeats were often looped throughout the recorded versions of songs. They are typical double-time beats, which allowed Hornsby and the rest of the band to do more with their solos.

Bruce Hornsby Timeline
1984–1991 Bruce Hornsby and the Range
1990–1992 Grateful Dead
1993–1995 Solo Albums: Harbor Lights & Hot House
1996–1998 Further Festivals & The Other Ones, Solo Album: Spirit Trail
1998–present Bruce Hornsby and the Noise Makers
2007–present Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby
2007–present The Bruce Hornsby Trio (with Christian McBride & Jack DeJohnette)

Hornsby and the Range's second album, Scenes from the Southside (on which Peter Harris replaced Mansfield) was released in 1988.[22] It included "Look Out Any Window" and "The Valley Road" which many critics noted for their "more spacious" musical arrangements, allowing for "more expressive" piano solos from Hornsby.[23][24] It also included "Jacob's Ladder", which the Hornsby brothers wrote for musician friend Huey Lewis; Lewis's version became a number one hit from his album Fore!.[25][26] Scenes offered further slices of "Americana" and "small-town nostalgia",[24] but it was the band's last album to perform well in the singles market.[23]

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Hornsby worked extensively as a producer and sideman, producing a comeback album Anything Can Happen for Leon Russell.[13] In 1987, Hornsby collaborated with Irish group Clannad, playing and lending vocals to their single "Something to Believe In". Hornsby also appears on the official music video release for the track. In 1989, Hornsby co-wrote and played piano on Don Henley's hit "The End of the Innocence". In 1991, he played piano on Bonnie Raitt's hit "I Can't Make You Love Me". He also appeared on albums by Bob Dylan, Robbie Robertson, Crosby Stills and Nash, Stevie Nicks and Squeeze.[23]

He slowly began to introduce jazz and bluegrass elements into his music, first in live performance settings and later on studio work.[17] In 1989, he first performed at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. He also reworked his hit "The Valley Road" with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band for their album Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two. In February 1990, the song won Best Bluegrass Recording at the 32nd Annual Grammy Awards.

In May 1990, he released A Night on the Town, on which he teamed up with jazz musicians Wayne Shorter (tenor saxophone) and Charlie Haden (double bass) as well as bluegrass pioneer Bela Fleck (banjo). A change in style became apparent as the album was much more rock and guitar driven, making use of Jerry Garcia's guitar work on several tracks, including prominently on the single "Across the River".[27] In concert, Hornsby and the Range began to stretch out their songs, incorporating more and more "freewheeling musical exchanges".[17] Critics praised the album for its production, its political relevance, and Hornsby's gestures toward expanding out of a strictly pop sound by incorporating jazz and bluegrass.[27] Ultimately, though, the core "rock band" sound of the Range limited Hornsby's aspirations, and after a final three-week tour in 1991, Hornsby disbanded the Range to enter a new phase of his career.[17] Drummer John Molo continued to perform regularly with Hornsby for another few years, although other members pursued separate musical endeavors. Following Hornsby's and Molo's involvement with The Other Ones, Molo left Hornsby to become the primary drummer with bass guitarist Phil Lesh and Friends.

Grateful Dead Edit

 
Hornsby playing accordion in Central Park in New York City

In 1988, Hornsby first appeared on stage with the Grateful Dead, a recurring collaboration that continued until the band's dissolution.[28] Hornsby was frequently a guest before becoming a regular fixture in the touring lineup for the Grateful Dead a few years later.

From 1988 until Jerry Garcia's death in 1995, Hornsby played more than 100 shows with the Grateful Dead.[29] At some shows in 1988 and 1989, he joined the band as a special guest and played accordion or synthesizer. Following the death of Grateful Dead keyboardist Brent Mydland in July 1990, Hornsby played piano (and frequently accordion) at many gigs. Mydland's place was filled in September 1990 by Vince Welnick, who became the sole keyboardist by March 1992, although Hornsby still sat in with the band on occasion.

Hornsby's own music evolved significantly during this time period. Critics have suggested that the Dead's vibrant tradition of melding folk music and the blues with psychedelic rock in "loose-knit expressions" and extended jamming "further pushed [Hornsby] outside the confines of mainstream pop".[17] Critics have also commented upon the close musical connection formed between Hornsby and Jerry Garcia, suggesting that Hornsby's particular style of jazz-fueled improvisation added to the band's repertoire and helped to revitalize and refocus Garcia's guitar solos in the band's sound.[28] Hornsby's friendship with Garcia continued, both inside and outside the band, as the two "challenged" each other to expand their musicianship through several other album and live collaborations.[30] Above all, Hornsby's musical versatility and ability to slip in and out of extended freeform jams won over longtime Grateful Dead fans.[31][32]

Since his first involvement with the Grateful Dead, Hornsby's live shows have drawn Deadheads and Hornsby has commented: "I've always liked the group of fans that we've drawn from the Grateful Dead time, because those fans are often adventurous music listeners".[33] He has performed several of their songs at his concerts and as homages on studio and live albums, while Hornsby originals "The Valley Road" and "Stander on the Mountain" appeared several times in the Dead's setlists. Hornsby also co-performed the improvisation "Silver Apples of the Moon" for the Grateful Dead's Infrared Roses.

Hornsby was the presenter when the Grateful Dead were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994[34][35] and in 2005 he participated in "Comes a Time", a tribute concert to Jerry Garcia. He continues to work with Dead-related projects, such as Bob Weir's Ratdog, Mickey Hart's solo projects. He performed as part of The Other Ones in 1998 and 2000, and on occasion sat in with The Dead. Hornsby continues to be involved in the Grateful Dead and Furthur community. He played at the All Good Music Festival in 2012 with Bob Weir on rhythm guitar.[36] In mid-2013, Hornsby performed with Grateful Dead-influenced bluegrass group Railroad Earth. Hornsby reunited with surviving members of the Grateful Dead along with Trey Anastasio from Phish and Jeff Chimenti at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, and later at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, in July 2015.[37]

Solo Edit

 
Hornsby in Portland, Oregon, 2006

Hornsby released his first solo album, Harbor Lights, in 1993. The record showcased him in a more jazz-oriented setting and featured a lineup that included Pat Metheny, Branford Marsalis, Jerry Garcia, Phil Collins and Bonnie Raitt. Hornsby secured his third Grammy in 1993 for Best Pop Instrumental for "Barcelona Mona" (composed with Branford Marsalis for the Barcelona Olympics).

In 1995, Hot House was released, its cover art featuring an imagined jam session between bluegrass musician Bill Monroe and jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker. Hornsby expanded into the jazz sound from Harbor Lights, this time reintroducing elements of bluegrass from A Night on the Town and his earlier collaborations.[38] "Walk in the Sun" reached number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100.[39]

"To be creative, spontaneous in the moment and make music in the present tense, that's what we're all about live. I write the songs, we make the records and then the records become a departure point, the basic blueprint, the basic arrangement. I'm fairly restless creatively. I was never a very good Top 40 band guy because I never liked to play the same thing every time. Too often songwriters approach their songs like museum pieces. I don't subscribe to that. I think of my songs as living beings that evolve and change and grow through the years."[40]
—Bruce Hornsby

During this time period, "even his concerts conveyed a looser, more playful mood, and Hornsby began taking requests from the audience".[17] Hornsby's concerts became "departure points" for his album compositions, which would be blended with and reworked into "lengthy spontaneous medleys".[17] Both in terms of audience requests and in terms of spontaneous on-stage decisions, Hornsby's performances became opportunities for him to challenge himself by trying to "find a way to seamlessly thread these seemingly disparate elements together".[17]

Hornsby next worked with several Grateful Dead reformation projects, including several Furthur Festivals and The Other Ones, which resulted in the release of a live album, The Strange Remain. As part of The Other Ones, Hornsby performed Grateful Dead tunes "Jack Straw" and "Sugaree" (which features Hornsby on lead vocal, in Jerry Garcia's absence), as well as Hornsby-originals "White-Wheeled Limousine" and "Rainbow's Cadillac". Hornsby dropped out of The Other Ones in 2002.[41]

In 1998, three years after Hot House, Hornsby released a double album, Spirit Trail. Featuring a picture of his uncle on the cover,[42] the collection blended instrumental tracks with the story-telling, rock, jazz, and other musical forms Hornsby had delved into over his career. The album considered "very Southern" themes with "songs about race, religion, judgment and tolerance" and "struggles with these issues".[43] An example is "Sneaking Up on Boo Radley", which referenced the character from Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird.

Throughout the sequence of Harbor Lights, Hot House, and Spirit Trail, Hornsby's piano playing steadily gained further complexity, taking on a more varied array of musical styles and incorporating more difficult techniques, as evidenced by his two-hand-independence on Spirit Trail's "King of the Hill". During this same span of solo album years, Hornsby made several mini-tours playing solo piano gigs for the first time in his career.[25] The shows allowed Hornsby additional possibilities for seguing songs into other songs, often blurring lines between classical compositions, jazz standards, traditional bluegrass, folk, and fiddle tunes, Grateful Dead songs, as well as reworkings of Hornsby originals.[28] Hornsby reflected on these periods of intensive solo performances, stating that the solo tours helped him "recommit [himself] to the study of piano" and "take [his] playing to a whole new level", explorations and improvisations that would not be possible in a band setting.[44]

In August 2014, Hornsby released his first entirely live solo album, Solo Concerts.

In April 2019, his 21st album, Absolute Zero, was released. It features collaborations with Justin Vernon and Sean Carey of Bon Iver, Jack DeJohnette, Blake Mills, yMusic, The Staves, and Brad Cook.

The Noisemakers Edit

Hornsby's touring band lineup underwent extensive changes between 1998 and 2000, with longtime drummer John Molo joining former Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh in his band Phil Lesh & Friends.[28] A set of twenty consecutive shows performed by Hornsby and his band at Yoshi's Jazz Club in Oakland, California included a lot of spontaneity and taking requests from the audience, a form that he continues at live shows to this day.[45] As Hornsby experimented with a different sound, ushering in frequent collaborations with such musicians as Steve Kimock on guitar and Bobby Read on heavily effects-driven electronic woodwinds, a new band, dubbed the Noisemakers, took shape. In 2000, Hornsby chronicled this journey with a compilation live album entitled Here Come the Noise Makers, and did extensive touring with his new band featuring John "J.T." Thomas (keyboards, organ), Bobby Read (saxophones, woodwinds, flute), J.V. Collier (bass), Doug Derryberry (guitar, mandolin), and several different drummers before Sonny Emory took over full-time.

 
Hornsby performing a solo piano show June 21, 2005, in North Bethesda, Maryland, audience requests visible across keyboard

In 2002, Hornsby released Big Swing Face. The album was Hornsby's most experimental effort to date. It was the only album on which Hornsby barely plays any piano and relied heavily on post-electronica beats, drum loops, Pro Tools editing, and dense synthesizer arrangements.[46][47] Big Swing Face received mixed reviews, ranging from "a new and improved Bruce Hornsby"[48] to being called one of the "strangest records of 2002".[46]

In 2004, after 19 successful years on RCA Records, Hornsby signed with Columbia Records and returned to a more acoustic, piano-driven sound on his Columbia Records debut album, Halcyon Days, released in June 2004. Guests included Sting, Elton John and Eric Clapton.[49]

Throughout tours following the album's release, both with the Noisemakers and in solo performances, Hornsby continued to demonstrate his desire to "grow" as a singer and performer and to expand the instrumental possibilities of the piano in various genres.[21]

In July 2006, Hornsby released a four-CD/DVD box set titled Intersections (1985–2005). The discs are thematically broken into three categories: "Top 90 Time", "Solo Piano, Tribute Records, Country-Bluegrass, Movie Scores", and "By Request (Favorites and Best Songs)".[50] A full third of the music is previously unreleased; many familiar tracks are presented as unreleased live versions rather than the original studio recordings, and the majority of the remaining tracks are from single B-sides, collaborations or tribute albums, and movie soundtracks.[51] One song, "Song H", a new composition, was nominated for Best Pop Instrumental in 2007 at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards.[52]

In 2007, Hornsby began more regularly playing classical music: at a concert in St. Louis, Missouri, during Hornsby's improvisational session in "The Way It Is", he began playing J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations along with the drums. In a different city, he played five straight Goldberg Variations over the drum intro of "Gonna Be Some Changes Made".[3]

On September 15, 2009, Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers released their fourth album, Levitate to mixed reviews; it included new solo material with several songs co-written with Chip DiMatteo for the Broadway play SCKBSTD.

In May 2011, the band released a live album, Bride of the Noisemakers.

On June 17, 2016, Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers released their sixth album and fourth studio album, Rehab Reunion. Hornsby only plays the dulcimer on the album and does not play piano. The album was also Hornsby's first release on 429 Records. Like on many of his previous releases, Rehab Reunion features collaborations with guest artists. Justin Vernon of Bon Iver sings background vocals on "Over the Rise". Mavis Staples duets with Hornsby on "Celestial Railroad". Also noteworthy is a folk version of "The Valley Road", originally a hit in 1988 with Hornsby's first backing band, the Range.[53]

Skaggs & Hornsby/The Bruce Hornsby Trio Edit

In March 2007, Hornsby teamed with bluegrass player Ricky Skaggs to produce a bluegrass album, Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby, followed by a tour. In 2000, the pair had collaborated on "Darlin' Cory", a track on the Big Mon Bill Monroe bluegrass music.[54] Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby, featuring the duo backed by Skaggs's band Kentucky Thunder, combined bluegrass, traditional country music, jazzy piano and a splash of humor on a spectrum of songs from the traditional to new compositions such as the opening track, "The Dreaded Spoon", a humorous tale of a youthful ice cream heist. The pair also reinvented Hornsby's hit "Mandolin Rain" as a minor key acoustic ballad and give his cautionary tale of backwoods violence, "A Night on the Town", a treatment highlighting the "Appalachian storytelling tradition that was always at the song's heart".[55][56]

The album ended with a cover of Rick James's funk hit "Super Freak" in a bluegrass arrangement. The album peaked at number one on the Billboard Bluegrass Albums list; it was on the charts for 52 weeks.[57] With the album, Hornsby disproved the notion that the piano is not compatible with "string-oriented" bluegrass. The duo released the live album Cluck Ol' Hen in September 2013.[58]

Concurrently with the bluegrass project, Hornsby recorded a jazz album, Camp Meeting with Christian McBride (bass) and Jack DeJohnette (drums).[59] Alongside original compositions by Hornsby, the trio delivered newly reharmonized versions of tunes by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell, a previously unrecorded Ornette Coleman work ("Questions and Answers") and an early Keith Jarrett composition ("Death and the Flower").[60] The trio made a series of appearances in the summer of 2007, including the Playboy Jazz Festival, the Newport Jazz Festival and at the Hollywood Bowl.[61]

On January 4, 2007, former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart reunited along with Hornsby, Mike Gordon (of Phish and the Rhythm Devils) and Warren Haynes to play two sets, including Dead classics, at a post-inauguration fundraising party for Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.[62][63]

Hornsby wrote songs for SCKBSTD, a Broadway Musical; one song from this project, a playful biographical tune about real-estate tycoon Donald Trump titled "The Don of Dons", was played often at Hornsby's solo piano performances in early 2007. In 2009, he composed the score for Spike Lee's ESPN documentary, Kobe Doin' Work, about NBA star Kobe Bryant and his MVP season.[7]

Hornsby invested in Williamsburg area radio station "The Tide" WTYD 92.3 FM. He has endowed the Bruce Hornsby Creative American Music Program at the Frost School of Music of University of Miami.[64] Hornsby played himself in a cameo role in the Robin Williams movie World's Greatest Dad, in which Williams' character is a Bruce Hornsby fan.

Additional collaborations Edit

On July 10, 1990, Hornsby made a guest appearance with the Grateful Dead onstage at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, NC, playing accordion during portions of the first and second sets. Grateful Dead keyboardist Brent Mydland died just over two weeks later, and Hornsby was summoned as a temporary replacement. The Grateful Dead released this concert on YouTube in its entirety on July 10, 2020, the 30th anniversary of the performance. [65]

On October 18, 1991, Hornsby joined Pink Floyd, co-founder Roger Waters on stage at Auditorio de la Cartuja in Seville, Spain. Playing keyboards and singing the choruses of Comfortably Numb.[66]

In 2014, Hornsby toured selected dates with Pat Metheny Unity Group.

In 2016, Hornsby performed on a track, "Black Muddy River", along with indie folk band (and Justin Vernon's former band) DeYarmond Edison on Day of the Dead, a Grateful Dead cover album, benefiting the Red Hot Organization, an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS. Hornsby performed the song alongside Vernon that same year in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Hornsby performed alongside Vernon at Coachella in 2017, performing Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me;" the performance also featured Jenny Lewis.[67]

Hornsby has composed and performed for many projects with filmmaker Spike Lee, including end-title songs for two films, Clockers (1995) with Chaka Khan and Bamboozled (2001). He contributed music for If God Is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise (2010), Old Boy (2013) and Chi-Raq (2015), and full film scores for Lee's Kobe Bryant documentary for ESPN: Kobe Doin' Work (2009), Red Hook Summer (2012), Da Sweet Blood of Jesus (2015), and Lee's film for the NBA 2K16 video game (2015). He scored Lee's Netflix production She's Gotta Have It (2017, 2019). Hornsby wrote and performed new music for Lee's film BlacKkKlansman (2018). in 1993, Lee directed the video for Hornsby's song "Talk Of The Town".

On July 3, 2023, Bruce appeared with The Doobie Brothers in Portsmouth, Virginia during their extended 50th anniversary tour, where he performed on keyboards and soloed on several songs.

Equipment Edit

Hornsby uses a Steinway & Sons concert grand piano. He bought the piano in Zurich, Switzerland, while on a solo show tour in Europe in 1995.[citation needed] With the Range and up until 1995, he used a Baldwin concert grand piano. He currently uses a Korg M1 synthesizer. With the Range, Hornsby used an Oberheim OB-X synthesizer.

Hornsby selected ten Model B Steinway Grands to be featured in its Limited Edition Signature Piano Series, each one personalized with his signature. Hornsby owns three 9 ft (2.7 m) Model D Steinway Grands.

For his 2016 album Rehab Reunion, he played Appalachian dulcimer made by BlueLion.[68]

Personal life Edit

Hornsby and his wife Kathy have twin sons, born 1992: Russell, who ran for the Oregon Ducks track and field team at the University of Oregon, and Keith, who played Division I basketball for the University of North Carolina Asheville Bulldogs from 2011 to 2013, transferred to Louisiana State University and played for LSU from 2014 to 2016.[69] They were named after musicians Leon Russell and Keith Jarrett, respectively.[70][71]

Hornsby is a regular basketball player and an avid fan of the sport.[23] As such, he can frequently be seen at college basketball games throughout Virginia. Hornsby stated that he beat Allen Iverson in one-on-one basketball three games in a row after helping him get out of jail.[72] He is also a friend of baseball Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa and attends games in St. Louis. Their friendship led to La Russa introducing Hornsby to jazz bassist Christian McBride, which then led to the formation of The Bruce Hornsby Trio (along with drummer Jack DeJohnette) and their first album, Camp Meeting.

Awards and nominations Edit

Award Year Nominee(s) Category Result Ref.
ASCAP Pop Music Awards 1988 "The Way It Is" Most Performed Songs Won [73]
1990 "The End of the Innocence" Won [74]
1991 Won [75]
Grammy Awards 1987 Bruce Hornsby & the Range Best New Artist Won [76]
1990 "The Valley Road" Best Bluegrass Recording Won
"The End of the Innocence" Song of the Year Nominated
Record of the Year Nominated
1991 "Across the River" Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Nominated
1994 "Barcelona Mona" Best Pop Instrumental Performance Won
1995 "The Star Spangled Banner" Nominated
1996 "Song B" Nominated
"Love Me Still" Best Song Written for Visual Media Nominated
2000 "Song C" Best Pop Instrumental Performance Nominated
2005 "Song F" Nominated
2007 "Song H" Nominated
2009 "Is This America?" Best Country Instrumental Performance Nominated
MTV Video Music Awards 1987 "The Way It Is" Best New Artist in a Video Nominated [77]
Pollstar Concert Industry Awards 1987 Bruce Hornsby & the Range Next Major Arena Headliner Nominated [78]
1988 Nominated [79]
Tour Small Hall Tour Of The Year Won

Discography Edit

References Edit

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  2. ^ "Bruce Hornsby - Biography & History". AllMusic.
  3. ^ a b c Mossman, Kate (April 24, 2015). "How Bruce Hornsby survived a hit song". New Statesman.
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  15. ^ Leas, Ryan (July 31, 2019). "We've Got A File On You: Bruce Hornsby". Stereogum.
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  19. ^ "Bruce Hornsby". JamBase.
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  69. ^ Goodman, Jeff (June 17, 2013). "Hornsby, son of musician, transfers to LSU". ESPN.
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  71. ^ GEHMAN, GEOFF (November 5, 1993). "IN TAKING RISKS, BRUCE HORNSBY FINDS SAFE HARBOR". The Morning Call.
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External links Edit

  • Bruce Hornsby at IMDb
  • Official website
  • Bruuuce.com, Bruce Hornsby fan website
    • Bruce Hornsby setlist database
  • List of shows played with the Grateful Dead
  • Interview with Bruce Hornsby, TheWaster.com

bruce, hornsby, bruce, randall, hornsby, born, november, 1954, american, singer, songwriter, pianist, music, draws, from, folk, rock, jazz, bluegrass, folk, southern, rock, country, rock, band, rock, heartland, rock, blues, rock, musical, traditions, hornsby, . Bruce Randall Hornsby born November 23 1954 is an American singer songwriter and pianist His music draws from folk rock jazz bluegrass folk Southern rock country rock jam band rock heartland rock and blues rock musical traditions 1 2 Bruce HornsbyHornsby in 2019Background informationBirth nameBruce Randall HornsbyBorn 1954 11 23 November 23 1954 age 68 Williamsburg Virginia U S GenresRock gospel heartland rock jazz bluegrass blues rockOccupation s Singer musicianInstrument s VocalspianoYears active1974 presentLabelsRCA CBS Sony Sony BMG Vanguard SireWebsitebrucehornsby wbr comHornsby has won three Grammy Awards a 1987 Grammy Award for Best New Artist with Bruce Hornsby and the Range a 1990 Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Recording and a 1994 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance Hornsby has worked with his touring band Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers his bluegrass project with Ricky Skaggs and as a session and guest musician He was a touring member of the Grateful Dead from September 1990 through March 1992 playing over 100 shows with the band His 23rd album Flicted was released in May 2022 Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 2 1 The Range 2 2 Grateful Dead 2 3 Solo 2 4 The Noisemakers 2 5 Skaggs amp Hornsby The Bruce Hornsby Trio 3 Additional collaborations 4 Equipment 5 Personal life 6 Awards and nominations 7 Discography 8 References 9 External linksEarly life and education EditBruce Randall Hornsby was born in Williamsburg Virginia to Robert Stanley Hornsby 1920 1998 an attorney real estate developer and former musician and Lois nee Saunier a piano player and church community liaison who had a local middle school named after her 3 He has two brothers Robert Saunier Bobby Hornsby a realtor with Hornsby Realty and locally known musician and John Hornsby an engineer with whom he has collaborated in songwriting 4 They are cousins of actor David Hornsby 5 While raised in the church of Christian Science Hornsby went to doctors and dentists as needed He had a politically liberal upbringing 3 Hornsby graduated from James Blair High School in Williamsburg in 1973 where he played on the basketball team and was chosen by his senior class as most likely to succeed 6 He studied music at the University of Richmond for a year at the Berklee College of Music for two semesters and then at the University of Miami where he graduated in 1977 7 8 Career EditIn 1974 Hornsby s older brother Bobby who attended the University of Virginia formed the band Bobby Hi Test and the Octane Kids to play fraternity parties featuring Bruce on Fender Rhodes and vocals 9 10 The band which is listed in Skeleton Key A Dictionary for Deadheads performed covers of Allman Brothers Band The Band and predominantly Grateful Dead songs 10 Bobby Hornsby s son Robert Saunier Hornsby was a recurring guest guitarist with Hornsby s band and periodically toured with his uncle until his death on January 15 2009 in a car accident near Crozet Virginia at age 28 11 12 Following his graduation from the University of Miami in 1977 Hornsby returned to his hometown of Williamsburg and played in local clubs and hotel bars In 1980 he and his younger brother and songwriting partner John Hornsby moved to Los Angeles where they spent three years writing for 20th Century Fox 13 Before moving back to his native Hampton Roads he also spent time in Los Angeles as a session musician In 1982 Hornsby joined the band Ambrosia for their last album Road Island and can be seen in the band s video for the album s single How Can You Love Me After Ambrosia disbanded he and bassist Joe Puerta performed as members of the touring band for Sheena Easton 14 In 1984 Hornsby appeared in the music video for Easton s single Strut 15 The Range Edit Bruce Hornsby and the RangeOriginLos Angeles California Williamsburg Virginia United StatesGenresRock pop rock soft rockYears active1984 1991LabelsRCA RecordsPast membersBruce HornsbyDavid MansfieldGeorge MarinelliJoe PuertaJohn MoloIn 1984 Hornsby formed Bruce Hornsby and the Range who were signed to RCA Records in 1985 Besides Hornsby Range members were David Mansfield guitar mandolin violin George Marinelli guitars and backing vocals former Ambrosia member Joe Puerta bass guitar and backing vocals and John Molo drums nbsp The Way It Is 1986 source source The song s discussion of the troubled economy and race relations resonated with the American public and it remains Hornsby s best known song Problems playing this file See media help Hornsby s recording career started with the biggest hit he has had to date The Way It Is It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1986 16 17 The song described aspects of homelessness the American civil rights movement and institutional racism 18 It has since been sampled by at least six rap artists including Tupac Shakur E 40 and Mase 17 With the success of the single the album The Way It Is received the RIAA certification of multi platinum 19 It included Mandolin Rain co written as many of Hornsby s early songs were with his brother John another top five hit 17 Every Little Kiss peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1987 20 17 Other tracks on the album helped establish what some labeled the Virginia sound a mixture of rock jazz and bluegrass 21 Bruce Hornsby and the Range won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1987 beating out Glass Tiger Nu Shooz Simply Red and Timbuk3 Hornsby and the Range s sound was distinctive for its use of syncopation in Hornsby s piano solos a bright piano sound and an extensive use of synthesizers as background for Hornsby s solos John Molo s drumbeats were often looped throughout the recorded versions of songs They are typical double time beats which allowed Hornsby and the rest of the band to do more with their solos Bruce Hornsby Timeline 1984 1991Bruce Hornsby and the Range1990 1992Grateful Dead1993 1995Solo Albums Harbor Lights amp Hot House1996 1998Further Festivals amp The Other Ones Solo Album Spirit Trail1998 presentBruce Hornsby and the Noise Makers2007 presentRicky Skaggs amp Bruce Hornsby2007 presentThe Bruce Hornsby Trio with Christian McBride amp Jack DeJohnette Hornsby and the Range s second album Scenes from the Southside on which Peter Harris replaced Mansfield was released in 1988 22 It included Look Out Any Window and The Valley Road which many critics noted for their more spacious musical arrangements allowing for more expressive piano solos from Hornsby 23 24 It also included Jacob s Ladder which the Hornsby brothers wrote for musician friend Huey Lewis Lewis s version became a number one hit from his album Fore 25 26 Scenes offered further slices of Americana and small town nostalgia 24 but it was the band s last album to perform well in the singles market 23 During the late 1980s and early 1990s Hornsby worked extensively as a producer and sideman producing a comeback album Anything Can Happen for Leon Russell 13 In 1987 Hornsby collaborated with Irish group Clannad playing and lending vocals to their single Something to Believe In Hornsby also appears on the official music video release for the track In 1989 Hornsby co wrote and played piano on Don Henley s hit The End of the Innocence In 1991 he played piano on Bonnie Raitt s hit I Can t Make You Love Me He also appeared on albums by Bob Dylan Robbie Robertson Crosby Stills and Nash Stevie Nicks and Squeeze 23 He slowly began to introduce jazz and bluegrass elements into his music first in live performance settings and later on studio work 17 In 1989 he first performed at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival He also reworked his hit The Valley Road with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band for their album Will the Circle Be Unbroken Volume Two In February 1990 the song won Best Bluegrass Recording at the 32nd Annual Grammy Awards In May 1990 he released A Night on the Town on which he teamed up with jazz musicians Wayne Shorter tenor saxophone and Charlie Haden double bass as well as bluegrass pioneer Bela Fleck banjo A change in style became apparent as the album was much more rock and guitar driven making use of Jerry Garcia s guitar work on several tracks including prominently on the single Across the River 27 In concert Hornsby and the Range began to stretch out their songs incorporating more and more freewheeling musical exchanges 17 Critics praised the album for its production its political relevance and Hornsby s gestures toward expanding out of a strictly pop sound by incorporating jazz and bluegrass 27 Ultimately though the core rock band sound of the Range limited Hornsby s aspirations and after a final three week tour in 1991 Hornsby disbanded the Range to enter a new phase of his career 17 Drummer John Molo continued to perform regularly with Hornsby for another few years although other members pursued separate musical endeavors Following Hornsby s and Molo s involvement with The Other Ones Molo left Hornsby to become the primary drummer with bass guitarist Phil Lesh and Friends Grateful Dead Edit nbsp Hornsby playing accordion in Central Park in New York CityIn 1988 Hornsby first appeared on stage with the Grateful Dead a recurring collaboration that continued until the band s dissolution 28 Hornsby was frequently a guest before becoming a regular fixture in the touring lineup for the Grateful Dead a few years later From 1988 until Jerry Garcia s death in 1995 Hornsby played more than 100 shows with the Grateful Dead 29 At some shows in 1988 and 1989 he joined the band as a special guest and played accordion or synthesizer Following the death of Grateful Dead keyboardist Brent Mydland in July 1990 Hornsby played piano and frequently accordion at many gigs Mydland s place was filled in September 1990 by Vince Welnick who became the sole keyboardist by March 1992 although Hornsby still sat in with the band on occasion Hornsby s own music evolved significantly during this time period Critics have suggested that the Dead s vibrant tradition of melding folk music and the blues with psychedelic rock in loose knit expressions and extended jamming further pushed Hornsby outside the confines of mainstream pop 17 Critics have also commented upon the close musical connection formed between Hornsby and Jerry Garcia suggesting that Hornsby s particular style of jazz fueled improvisation added to the band s repertoire and helped to revitalize and refocus Garcia s guitar solos in the band s sound 28 Hornsby s friendship with Garcia continued both inside and outside the band as the two challenged each other to expand their musicianship through several other album and live collaborations 30 Above all Hornsby s musical versatility and ability to slip in and out of extended freeform jams won over longtime Grateful Dead fans 31 32 Since his first involvement with the Grateful Dead Hornsby s live shows have drawn Deadheads and Hornsby has commented I ve always liked the group of fans that we ve drawn from the Grateful Dead time because those fans are often adventurous music listeners 33 He has performed several of their songs at his concerts and as homages on studio and live albums while Hornsby originals The Valley Road and Stander on the Mountain appeared several times in the Dead s setlists Hornsby also co performed the improvisation Silver Apples of the Moon for the Grateful Dead s Infrared Roses Hornsby was the presenter when the Grateful Dead were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 34 35 and in 2005 he participated in Comes a Time a tribute concert to Jerry Garcia He continues to work with Dead related projects such as Bob Weir s Ratdog Mickey Hart s solo projects He performed as part of The Other Ones in 1998 and 2000 and on occasion sat in with The Dead Hornsby continues to be involved in the Grateful Dead and Furthur community He played at the All Good Music Festival in 2012 with Bob Weir on rhythm guitar 36 In mid 2013 Hornsby performed with Grateful Dead influenced bluegrass group Railroad Earth Hornsby reunited with surviving members of the Grateful Dead along with Trey Anastasio from Phish and Jeff Chimenti at Levi s Stadium in Santa Clara California and later at Soldier Field in Chicago Illinois in July 2015 37 Solo Edit nbsp Hornsby in Portland Oregon 2006Hornsby released his first solo album Harbor Lights in 1993 The record showcased him in a more jazz oriented setting and featured a lineup that included Pat Metheny Branford Marsalis Jerry Garcia Phil Collins and Bonnie Raitt Hornsby secured his third Grammy in 1993 for Best Pop Instrumental for Barcelona Mona composed with Branford Marsalis for the Barcelona Olympics In 1995 Hot House was released its cover art featuring an imagined jam session between bluegrass musician Bill Monroe and jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker Hornsby expanded into the jazz sound from Harbor Lights this time reintroducing elements of bluegrass from A Night on the Town and his earlier collaborations 38 Walk in the Sun reached number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100 39 To be creative spontaneous in the moment and make music in the present tense that s what we re all about live I write the songs we make the records and then the records become a departure point the basic blueprint the basic arrangement I m fairly restless creatively I was never a very good Top 40 band guy because I never liked to play the same thing every time Too often songwriters approach their songs like museum pieces I don t subscribe to that I think of my songs as living beings that evolve and change and grow through the years 40 Bruce HornsbyDuring this time period even his concerts conveyed a looser more playful mood and Hornsby began taking requests from the audience 17 Hornsby s concerts became departure points for his album compositions which would be blended with and reworked into lengthy spontaneous medleys 17 Both in terms of audience requests and in terms of spontaneous on stage decisions Hornsby s performances became opportunities for him to challenge himself by trying to find a way to seamlessly thread these seemingly disparate elements together 17 Hornsby next worked with several Grateful Dead reformation projects including several Furthur Festivals and The Other Ones which resulted in the release of a live album The Strange Remain As part of The Other Ones Hornsby performed Grateful Dead tunes Jack Straw and Sugaree which features Hornsby on lead vocal in Jerry Garcia s absence as well as Hornsby originals White Wheeled Limousine and Rainbow s Cadillac Hornsby dropped out of The Other Ones in 2002 41 In 1998 three years after Hot House Hornsby released a double album Spirit Trail Featuring a picture of his uncle on the cover 42 the collection blended instrumental tracks with the story telling rock jazz and other musical forms Hornsby had delved into over his career The album considered very Southern themes with songs about race religion judgment and tolerance and struggles with these issues 43 An example is Sneaking Up on Boo Radley which referenced the character from Harper Lee s Pulitzer Prize winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird Throughout the sequence of Harbor Lights Hot House and Spirit Trail Hornsby s piano playing steadily gained further complexity taking on a more varied array of musical styles and incorporating more difficult techniques as evidenced by his two hand independence on Spirit Trail s King of the Hill During this same span of solo album years Hornsby made several mini tours playing solo piano gigs for the first time in his career 25 The shows allowed Hornsby additional possibilities for seguing songs into other songs often blurring lines between classical compositions jazz standards traditional bluegrass folk and fiddle tunes Grateful Dead songs as well as reworkings of Hornsby originals 28 Hornsby reflected on these periods of intensive solo performances stating that the solo tours helped him recommit himself to the study of piano and take his playing to a whole new level explorations and improvisations that would not be possible in a band setting 44 In August 2014 Hornsby released his first entirely live solo album Solo Concerts In April 2019 his 21st album Absolute Zero was released It features collaborations with Justin Vernon and Sean Carey of Bon Iver Jack DeJohnette Blake Mills yMusic The Staves and Brad Cook The Noisemakers Edit Hornsby s touring band lineup underwent extensive changes between 1998 and 2000 with longtime drummer John Molo joining former Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh in his band Phil Lesh amp Friends 28 A set of twenty consecutive shows performed by Hornsby and his band at Yoshi s Jazz Club in Oakland California included a lot of spontaneity and taking requests from the audience a form that he continues at live shows to this day 45 As Hornsby experimented with a different sound ushering in frequent collaborations with such musicians as Steve Kimock on guitar and Bobby Read on heavily effects driven electronic woodwinds a new band dubbed the Noisemakers took shape In 2000 Hornsby chronicled this journey with a compilation live album entitled Here Come the Noise Makers and did extensive touring with his new band featuring John J T Thomas keyboards organ Bobby Read saxophones woodwinds flute J V Collier bass Doug Derryberry guitar mandolin and several different drummers before Sonny Emory took over full time nbsp Hornsby performing a solo piano show June 21 2005 in North Bethesda Maryland audience requests visible across keyboardIn 2002 Hornsby released Big Swing Face The album was Hornsby s most experimental effort to date It was the only album on which Hornsby barely plays any piano and relied heavily on post electronica beats drum loops Pro Tools editing and dense synthesizer arrangements 46 47 Big Swing Face received mixed reviews ranging from a new and improved Bruce Hornsby 48 to being called one of the strangest records of 2002 46 In 2004 after 19 successful years on RCA Records Hornsby signed with Columbia Records and returned to a more acoustic piano driven sound on his Columbia Records debut album Halcyon Days released in June 2004 Guests included Sting Elton John and Eric Clapton 49 Throughout tours following the album s release both with the Noisemakers and in solo performances Hornsby continued to demonstrate his desire to grow as a singer and performer and to expand the instrumental possibilities of the piano in various genres 21 In July 2006 Hornsby released a four CD DVD box set titled Intersections 1985 2005 The discs are thematically broken into three categories Top 90 Time Solo Piano Tribute Records Country Bluegrass Movie Scores and By Request Favorites and Best Songs 50 A full third of the music is previously unreleased many familiar tracks are presented as unreleased live versions rather than the original studio recordings and the majority of the remaining tracks are from single B sides collaborations or tribute albums and movie soundtracks 51 One song Song H a new composition was nominated for Best Pop Instrumental in 2007 at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards 52 In 2007 Hornsby began more regularly playing classical music at a concert in St Louis Missouri during Hornsby s improvisational session in The Way It Is he began playing J S Bach s Goldberg Variations along with the drums In a different city he played five straight Goldberg Variations over the drum intro of Gonna Be Some Changes Made 3 On September 15 2009 Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers released their fourth album Levitate to mixed reviews it included new solo material with several songs co written with Chip DiMatteo for the Broadway play SCKBSTD In May 2011 the band released a live album Bride of the Noisemakers On June 17 2016 Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers released their sixth album and fourth studio album Rehab Reunion Hornsby only plays the dulcimer on the album and does not play piano The album was also Hornsby s first release on 429 Records Like on many of his previous releases Rehab Reunion features collaborations with guest artists Justin Vernon of Bon Iver sings background vocals on Over the Rise Mavis Staples duets with Hornsby on Celestial Railroad Also noteworthy is a folk version of The Valley Road originally a hit in 1988 with Hornsby s first backing band the Range 53 Skaggs amp Hornsby The Bruce Hornsby Trio Edit In March 2007 Hornsby teamed with bluegrass player Ricky Skaggs to produce a bluegrass album Ricky Skaggs amp Bruce Hornsby followed by a tour In 2000 the pair had collaborated on Darlin Cory a track on the Big Mon Bill Monroe bluegrass music 54 Ricky Skaggs amp Bruce Hornsby featuring the duo backed by Skaggs s band Kentucky Thunder combined bluegrass traditional country music jazzy piano and a splash of humor on a spectrum of songs from the traditional to new compositions such as the opening track The Dreaded Spoon a humorous tale of a youthful ice cream heist The pair also reinvented Hornsby s hit Mandolin Rain as a minor key acoustic ballad and give his cautionary tale of backwoods violence A Night on the Town a treatment highlighting the Appalachian storytelling tradition that was always at the song s heart 55 56 The album ended with a cover of Rick James s funk hit Super Freak in a bluegrass arrangement The album peaked at number one on the Billboard Bluegrass Albums list it was on the charts for 52 weeks 57 With the album Hornsby disproved the notion that the piano is not compatible with string oriented bluegrass The duo released the live album Cluck Ol Hen in September 2013 58 Concurrently with the bluegrass project Hornsby recorded a jazz album Camp Meeting with Christian McBride bass and Jack DeJohnette drums 59 Alongside original compositions by Hornsby the trio delivered newly reharmonized versions of tunes by John Coltrane Miles Davis Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell a previously unrecorded Ornette Coleman work Questions and Answers and an early Keith Jarrett composition Death and the Flower 60 The trio made a series of appearances in the summer of 2007 including the Playboy Jazz Festival the Newport Jazz Festival and at the Hollywood Bowl 61 On January 4 2007 former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart reunited along with Hornsby Mike Gordon of Phish and the Rhythm Devils and Warren Haynes to play two sets including Dead classics at a post inauguration fundraising party for Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi 62 63 Hornsby wrote songs for SCKBSTD a Broadway Musical one song from this project a playful biographical tune about real estate tycoon Donald Trump titled The Don of Dons was played often at Hornsby s solo piano performances in early 2007 In 2009 he composed the score for Spike Lee s ESPN documentary Kobe Doin Work about NBA star Kobe Bryant and his MVP season 7 Hornsby invested in Williamsburg area radio station The Tide WTYD 92 3 FM He has endowed the Bruce Hornsby Creative American Music Program at the Frost School of Music of University of Miami 64 Hornsby played himself in a cameo role in the Robin Williams movie World s Greatest Dad in which Williams character is a Bruce Hornsby fan Additional collaborations EditOn July 10 1990 Hornsby made a guest appearance with the Grateful Dead onstage at Carter Finley Stadium in Raleigh NC playing accordion during portions of the first and second sets Grateful Dead keyboardist Brent Mydland died just over two weeks later and Hornsby was summoned as a temporary replacement The Grateful Dead released this concert on YouTube in its entirety on July 10 2020 the 30th anniversary of the performance 65 On October 18 1991 Hornsby joined Pink Floyd co founder Roger Waters on stage at Auditorio de la Cartuja in Seville Spain Playing keyboards and singing the choruses of Comfortably Numb 66 In 2014 Hornsby toured selected dates with Pat Metheny Unity Group In 2016 Hornsby performed on a track Black Muddy River along with indie folk band and Justin Vernon s former band DeYarmond Edison on Day of the Dead a Grateful Dead cover album benefiting the Red Hot Organization an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS Hornsby performed the song alongside Vernon that same year in Eau Claire Wisconsin Hornsby performed alongside Vernon at Coachella in 2017 performing Bonnie Raitt s I Can t Make You Love Me the performance also featured Jenny Lewis 67 Hornsby has composed and performed for many projects with filmmaker Spike Lee including end title songs for two films Clockers 1995 with Chaka Khan and Bamboozled 2001 He contributed music for If God Is Willing and da Creek Don t Rise 2010 Old Boy 2013 and Chi Raq 2015 and full film scores for Lee s Kobe Bryant documentary for ESPN Kobe Doin Work 2009 Red Hook Summer 2012 Da Sweet Blood of Jesus 2015 and Lee s film for the NBA 2K16 video game 2015 He scored Lee s Netflix production She s Gotta Have It 2017 2019 Hornsby wrote and performed new music for Lee s film BlacKkKlansman 2018 in 1993 Lee directed the video for Hornsby s song Talk Of The Town On July 3 2023 Bruce appeared with The Doobie Brothers in Portsmouth Virginia during their extended 50th anniversary tour where he performed on keyboards and soloed on several songs Equipment EditHornsby uses a Steinway amp Sons concert grand piano He bought the piano in Zurich Switzerland while on a solo show tour in Europe in 1995 citation needed With the Range and up until 1995 he used a Baldwin concert grand piano He currently uses a Korg M1 synthesizer With the Range Hornsby used an Oberheim OB X synthesizer Hornsby selected ten Model B Steinway Grands to be featured in its Limited Edition Signature Piano Series each one personalized with his signature Hornsby owns three 9 ft 2 7 m Model D Steinway Grands For his 2016 album Rehab Reunion he played Appalachian dulcimer made by BlueLion 68 Personal life EditHornsby and his wife Kathy have twin sons born 1992 Russell who ran for the Oregon Ducks track and field team at the University of Oregon and Keith who played Division I basketball for the University of North Carolina Asheville Bulldogs from 2011 to 2013 transferred to Louisiana State University and played for LSU from 2014 to 2016 69 They were named after musicians Leon Russell and Keith Jarrett respectively 70 71 Hornsby is a regular basketball player and an avid fan of the sport 23 As such he can frequently be seen at college basketball games throughout Virginia Hornsby stated that he beat Allen Iverson in one on one basketball three games in a row after helping him get out of jail 72 He is also a friend of baseball Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa and attends games in St Louis Their friendship led to La Russa introducing Hornsby to jazz bassist Christian McBride which then led to the formation of The Bruce Hornsby Trio along with drummer Jack DeJohnette and their first album Camp Meeting Awards and nominations EditAward Year Nominee s Category Result Ref ASCAP Pop Music Awards 1988 The Way It Is Most Performed Songs Won 73 1990 The End of the Innocence Won 74 1991 Won 75 Grammy Awards 1987 Bruce Hornsby amp the Range Best New Artist Won 76 1990 The Valley Road Best Bluegrass Recording Won The End of the Innocence Song of the Year NominatedRecord of the Year Nominated1991 Across the River Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Nominated1994 Barcelona Mona Best Pop Instrumental Performance Won1995 The Star Spangled Banner Nominated1996 Song B Nominated Love Me Still Best Song Written for Visual Media Nominated2000 Song C Best Pop Instrumental Performance Nominated2005 Song F Nominated2007 Song H Nominated2009 Is This America Best Country Instrumental Performance NominatedMTV Video Music Awards 1987 The Way It Is Best New Artist in a Video Nominated 77 Pollstar Concert Industry Awards 1987 Bruce Hornsby amp the Range Next Major Arena Headliner Nominated 78 1988 Nominated 79 Tour Small Hall Tour Of The Year WonDiscography EditMain article Bruce Hornsby discography The Way It Is 1986 Scenes from the Southside 1988 A Night on the Town 1990 Harbor Lights 1993 Hot House 1995 Spirit Trail 1998 Here Come the Noisemakers 2000 live album Big Swing Face 2002 Halcyon Days 2004 Greatest Radio Hits 2004 compilation Camp Meeting 2007 Levitate 2009 Bride of the Noisemakers 2011 live album Red Hook Summer 2012 Solo Concerts 2014 live album Rehab Reunion 2016 Absolute Zero 2019 Non Secure Connection 2020 Flicted 2022 References Edit Bobby High Test and the Octane Kids RealHornsby com Retrieved November 20 2021 Bruce Hornsby Biography amp History AllMusic a b c Mossman Kate April 24 2015 How Bruce Hornsby survived a hit song New Statesman Lois Hornsby s Activism Bears Out Her Motto The Virginian Pilot July 23 1996 Overview for David Hornsby Turner Classic Movies Retrieved November 5 2017 Lewis Sara E 2009 James City County Arcadia Publishing ISBN 9780738568508 a b TURNER MARK F October 27 2009 Bruce Hornsby The Master Of Levitation All About Jazz ZIMMERMAN LEE May 13 2016 UM Alumnus Bruce Hornsby Remembers His Days as a Hurricane Miami New Times Goodwich Dave November 25 2019 BRUCE HORNSBY AT 65 REVISITING THE PIANIST VOCALIST S GREATEST COVERS amp NON HIT CLASSICS Glide a b Bobby High Test and the Octane Kids RealHornsby com MacKenzie Bryan January 24 2009 The music keeps playing after a Hornsby s death The Daily Progress Robert Saunier Hornsby Obituary Legacy com March 22 2016 a b Ruhlmann William Bruce Hornsby Biography AllMusic Tortorici Frank November 23 1998 Bruce Hornsby MTV Networks Leas Ryan July 31 2019 We ve Got A File On You Bruce Hornsby Stereogum The Way It Is Billboard a b c d e f g h i j k Metzger John November 2000 Against the Grain An Interview with Bruce Hornsby The Music Box 7 11 The Way It Is by Bruce Hornsby Songfacts Bruce Hornsby JamBase Every Little Kiss Billboard a b Burch Cathalena E December 29 2005 Musician tells it the way it is Arizona Daily Star Torres Al Shibibi Agnes July 10 1988 HORNSBY KNOWS COUNTRY BY HEART Orlando Sentinel a b c d You Say It s Your Birthday Bruce Hornsby MTV Networks November 21 1997 a b Iyengar Vic Scenes From the Southside Overview AllMusic a b Popson Tom September 5 1986 BRUCE HORNSBY HUEY LEWIS AND THE RECORDING CONTRACT THAT SNEAKED IN FROM LEFT FIELD Chicago Tribune Duffy Thom January 18 1987 HORNSBY S HAPPY WITH THE WAY IT IS Orlando Sentinel a b Newsom Jim A Night on the Town Overview AllMusic a b c d Heisler Brett I October 9 2000 Grateful Family and Friend Bruce Hornsby philzone com Bruce Hornsby on the Grateful Dead Connecting with Trey Anastasio Going Beyond His Hits Exclusive Interview Ultimate Classic Rock MCDONALD SAM October 8 1995 BRUCE HORNSBY MUSIC IS HIS THERAPY Daily Press Barry John W November 7 2000 Bruce Hornsby Live Set Puts New Spin On Old Tunes Retrieved May 4 2007 BROWNE DAVID August 8 2020 Bruce Hornsby Looks Back on Jerry Garcia s Last Days I Miss Him So Much Rolling Stone Bruce Hornsby Trio Hollywood Bowl The Grateful Dead Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Bruce Hornsby Inducts the Grateful Dead into the Rock amp Roll Hall of Fame 1994 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame January 18 2012 Archived from the original on November 17 2021 via YouTube All Good Music Festival 2012 Last fm Grateful Dead Celebration With Anastasio amp Hornsby In Chicago JamBase January 16 2015 Miller Skyler Hot House Overview AllMusic Walk In The Sun Billboard Hollow Michele C December 15 2018 The Grateful Dead Enslow Publishing ISBN 9781978505230 Selvin Joel December 1 2002 Other Ones Reunite San Francisco Chronicle MCDONALD SAM October 9 1998 HORNSBY CONJURES A NEW SPIRIT Daily Press Spirit Trail YouTube Three Time Grammy Award Winner Bruce Hornsby to Perform for a Sold Out Audience at the Adelphi University Performing Arts Center on February 10 Press release Adelphi University January 23 2012 Awesome Exclusive Interview with Bruce Hornsby Diablo March 20 2015 a b Erlewine Stephen Thomas Big Swing Face Overview AllMusic Hornsby Eschews Trademark Sound For Big Swing Face Billboard July 8 2002 Miller Skyler Halcyon Days Overview AllMusic Bruce Hornsby Comes to Columbia Records With New Album Halcyon Days Press release Sony Music June 1 2004 CALIGIURI JIM August 25 2006 Bruce Hornsby The Austin Chronicle Kelman John November 4 2006 Bruce Hornsby Intersections All About Jazz GRAMMY Awards Winners amp Nominees for Best Pop Instrumental Performance Grammy Awards Jennings Thom June 14 2018 JENNINGS Bruce Hornsby s show will be The Way It Is Niagara Gazette Rolfsmeier Liz October 26 2013 Bruce Hornsby and Ricky Skaggs bring bluesgrass to Burnsville Nov 2 Star Tribune Pareles Jon April 26 2007 A Collaboration Recalls an Isolated Rural America The New York Times Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby PopMatters May 14 2007 Ricky Skaggs amp Bruce Hornsby Billboard Ricky Skaggs amp Bruce Hornsby Cluck Ol Hen feature CD 9 6 KSUT September 5 2013 LAMAIRE MARK December 1 2007 Bruce Hornsby Christian McBride Jack DeJohnette Camp Meeting Sony Legacy OffBeat Gans Charles J August 31 2007 Bruce Hornsby life after pop stardom Telegram amp Gazette Associated Press McLennan Scott August 5 2007 I get them with the rhythm Telegram amp Gazette du Lac J Freedom January 6 2007 Partying Dead Wake Up The Democrats The Washington Post Speaker Pelosi hosts day of the Dead in D C The Mercury News January 7 2007 CREATIVE AMERICAN MUSIC Frost School of Music Grateful Dead Live at Carter Finley Stadium 7 10 90 Full Concert YouTube com Retrieved September 24 2023 Kahn Andy Happy Birthday Bruce Hornsby Joining Pink Floyd s Roger Waters In 1991 JamBase Retrieved August 11 2023 KLEIN DAVID March 28 2016 Justin Vernon and Megafaun Reunite to Cover the Grateful Dead With Bruce Hornsby Indy Week Beaudoin Jedd May 17 2016 Bruce Hornsby Picks Up The Dulcimer For Rehab Reunion KMUW Goodman Jeff June 17 2013 Hornsby son of musician transfers to LSU ESPN BAUDER DAVID May 14 1993 Hornsby Hails Home Recording The Oklahoman GEHMAN GEOFF November 5 1993 IN TAKING RISKS BRUCE HORNSBY FINDS SAFE HARBOR The Morning Call Hornsby Bruce March 21 2017 Radio interview The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz Interviewed by Dan LeBatard ESPN Radio Billboard PDF May 25 1991 Cash Box PDF Worldradiohistory com June 23 1990 Retrieved March 17 2022 Billboard PDF Worldradiohistory com May 25 1991 Retrieved March 17 2022 Bruce Hornsby November 23 2020 Bruce Hornsby amp The Range IMDb Retrieved September 16 2021 Pollstar Awards Archive 1986 March 20 2017 Archived from the original on March 20 2017 Retrieved September 16 2021 Pollstar Awards Archive 1987 March 20 2017 Archived from the original on March 20 2017 Retrieved September 16 2021 External links EditBruce Hornsby at IMDb Official website Bruuuce com Bruce Hornsby fan website Bruce Hornsby setlist database List of shows played with the Grateful Dead Interview with Bruce Hornsby TheWaster com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bruce Hornsby amp oldid 1176908570, 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