Continuing a series looking back at the old newsletters that Melissa Reagan would post out in the 1990s. This one looks ahead at the (then unnamed) “Hot House”!
New Album
After a brief break for the holidays following the Harbor Lights Tour, Bruce and the band members began recording tracks for a new album during the first week of January. Pat Metheny and Jerry Garcia will be guest guitarists. Like “Harbor Lights,” the new album will be recorded primarily at Bruce’s studio in Virginia.
1993 Recap
The year began with Bruce mixing and mastering the “Harbor Lights” album in preparation for its release in April.
In January, Bruce participated in President Clinton’s Inaugural activities, performing soio at the “Faces of Hope” luncheon and with other musicians at the Arkansas Ball.
The Harbor Lights Tour began in the summer and consisted of over sixty shows in seven countries. Several guest artists appeared with the band: Bonnie Raitt and Branford Marsalis played at the Los Angeles show, and Bela Fleck played in Chicago, Boston, and Portland, Maine. Bruce and the band also taped specials for VH-1/PBS “Center Stage,” E-Town, Mountain Stage, and “Austin City Limits” (airing in February, 1994). During the tour, Bruce performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” for the season openers of the Charlotte Hornets and the San Francisco 49ers.
In addition, Bruce performed at the National Sports Awards in June, where he paid tribute to the memory of fellow Virginian Arthur Ashe with a rendition of John Lennon’s “Imagine,” Ashe’s favorite song.
Also in June, Bruce sat in with the Grateful Dead for two nights at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.
In late October/early November, the Single “Fields of Gray” went to Number One on the Adult Contemporary charts. The “Harbor Lights” album went gold, selling about 650,000 in the United States and 800,000 copies worldwide to date.
Bruce performed on Bela Fleck’s September album release “Three Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and Rob Wasserman’s “Trios” release, to be released in February.
Grammy Nomination
Branford Marsalis and Bruce received a Grammy nomination for “Barcelona Mona” for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. The song was written for the 1992 Summer Olympics and was nominated last year, but it was disqualified on a technicality.
Interestingly, the song was renominated this year following its release as the B-side of the “Talk of the Town” single. The Grammy Awards will be held March 1 in New York.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Bruce wrote and delivered the speech inducting the Grateful Dead into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the ceremony held in New York on January 19. Bruce joined Chuck Berry, Bobby Weir and Billy Kreutzman of the Grateful Dead, John Popper of Blues Traveler, and members of David Letterman’s band in one of the jams at the close of the evening. Other artists inducted this year included Elton John, the Band, the Animals, Rod Stewart, and John Lennon.
New for 1994
Bruce and the band will appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on February 4.
Leon Russell and Bruce will play together in late January as guests on Bela Fleck’s new album currently being recorded in Nashville.
On February 2, Bruce will perform a solo benefit concert in Washington, D.C., on behalf of “Participation 2000,” a political action committee co-chaired by Senator Bill Bradley, which recruits and trains recent college graduates to work on progressive campaigns throughout the United States.
Chaka Kahn has asked Bruce to write songs with her for her next record. She’ll come to Virginia to work in March.
On March 31, Bruce and drummer John Molo will perform a benefit concert for their alma mater, the University of Miami School of Music. Bruce and Molo will play with UM’s Symphony Orchestra and the Concert Jazz Band Rhythm Section performing specially arranged selections from Bruce’s four albums.
Questions for Bruce
As you can imagine, Bruce receives more mail than he can answer. He does, however, read every piece of mail he receives. Here are some of the popular questions he has received, with his answers.
1. Will you be playing for the Dead anymore?
Not again on a full-time basis, but I always hope to sit in whenever schedules allow. Also, Jerry has asked me to play on the upcoming studio album, so that may happen.
2. Are those your sons in the “Fields of Gray” video?
Yes. Keith and Russell were 17 months old when that was shot in June. My mother and several friends are also in it. It was filmed on various locations in Virginia on some really hot days last summer.
3. Any plans for a live album?
I will definitely do one at some point, and I’d like to do one in lieu of a future “greatest hits” package. Maybe after this next record.
4. Did you have any classical music training, and do you have favorite classical composers or selections?
Yes, I had classical piano training at the University of Miami. Charles Ives, of course, is a favorite composer, especially his “Concord Sonata” and “Sonata Holiday Symphony.” I also like Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring.”
5. Why are you doing fewer projects with other people now than a couple of years ago?
Because I want to spend more time with my family (the boys are now two, and because I am focusing more on my own career. I’m starting to say yes a little more lately, but I have to make sure it doesn’t get out of hand. It’s always flattering to get the calls to work with others, but I don’t want to be an absentee father, so I turn down most requests.