More from our look at the Bruce Hornsby newsletter archive, sent back in the day by Melissa Reagan direct from Bruce’s office. Links have been added where appropriate to add context.
“Bruce Hornsby and Friends” TV Special
Bruce and the band taped a special for PBS’s “In the Spotlight” series at New York City’s Manhattan Center on October 27. The show, a celebration of Bruce’s first ten years as a recording artist, included performances by musical guests Bonnie Raitt, Pat Metheny, Don Henley, Bob Weir, and Blackstreet members David Hollister and Levi Little. In addition, Gregory Hines tapdanced on “Talk of the Town.” The show will air as a fund raiser for Public Broadcasting on PBS stations around the country starting in early December.
Be sure to check your local listings for the times in your area. Portions of the performance will also be used for the second installment of VH1’s “Duets” on December 13.
Selected air dates include:
Nov. 30: WHYY- Philadelphia, PA, at 11:00 p.m.
Dec. 3: KVIE-Sacramento, CA, at 12:00 p.m.
Dec 6: WEDH-Hartford, CT, at 10:00 p.m.; WHRO-Norfolk, VA, at 8:00 p.m.
Dec. 11: GAP-Atlanta, GA, at 11:00 p.m.
Dec. 15: WMFE-Orlando, FL, at 11:00 p.m.
Dec. 16: GAP at 7:00 p.m.; KOPB-Portland, OR, at 8:00 p.m.; WFIY-Indianapolis, IN, at 10:00 p.m.
Dec. 18: WNET-New York, NY, at 10:00 p.m.
Dec. 26: WETA-Washington, D.C., at 10:00 p.m
Dec. 30: WETA at 12:00 a.m.
Dates and times are subject to change. More dates will be added soon, so check you local listings for times and stations.
“Swing Street” Video
Spike Lee directed Bruce, the band, and a true cast of characters in a video for “Swing Street”, the next single from Hot House. The video is set in New York City and was shot in black and white. Spike and Bruce have worked together previously on “Love Me Still,” Bruce and Chaka Kahn’s song for Spike’s movie “Clockers” and on “Talk of the Town” from Harbor Lights.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Bruce and the band performed a special tribute to Jerry Garcia at the grand opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland on September 2. The show, broadcast live on HBO, took place at Cleveland Stadium, and they performed “I Know You Rider” and “Scarlet Begonias.”
National Anthems
Bruce was successful in his efforts to get good seats to some of the baseball season’s most important games by playing the National Anthem. Branford Marsalis and Bruce played their Grammy-nominated rendition at Cal Ripken’s streak-breaking game September 6 at Baltimore’s Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Bruce also performed at Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on October 17 at Seattle’s Kingdome when the Mariners played the Cleveland Indians.
Ornette and Bonnie
One of the highlights for Bruce this fall was working in the studio with free-jazz pioneer Ornette Coleman. They will continue to get together, working gradually on an album project.
Look for Bruce when he performs three songs with Bonnie Raitt on her recently released live album and her PBS special, Bonnie Raitt:Road Tested, recorded this summer in California. Bruce performed “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” “Angel from Montgomery Ward,” and “Thing Called Love.”
Solo Piano in Oakland
Bruce will be playing solo piano for six consecutive nights at Yoshi’s, a popular jazz house in Oakland, California. He will be there January 23 to January 28, 1996. You should call Yoshi’s for ticket information.
Hot House Tour
Bruce and the band had a great time playing along the East coast for three weeks in August and September. They especially enjoyed some of the tented theater-in-the-round venues where the stage is continuously revolving and the audiences are up close. More dates in the U.S. are planned for 1996.
Sheet Music
The eleven-song Hot House songbook for piano/vocal/chords (ISBN#0-89724-869-4) and the sheet music for “Walk in the Sun” (PV 95180) are now available from Warner Bros. Publications. They can be purchased or ordered from most music stores.
Benefits
Bruce performed at two very special benefits in October. He played at Boston’s Aquarium to support Ocean Trust, an ocean-conservation foundation dedicated to protecting the oceans as a food source for people of the world through the funding of educational and research projects. Bruce played solo piano, and the set was augmented by ad-libbed accompaniment from the penguins.
Later in the month, Bruce was the featured entertainment at Chris Evert’s Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic in Boca Raton, FL. Proceeds from the event benefit a variety of charities. Although Bruce did not play tennis, he did play solo piano and sat in with the band, which included some of his old friends from the University of Miami.
European Solo Tour
Bruce will perform solo piano dates throughout Europe in December. The dates and venues listed below are subject to change. Please contact the venue for ticket information.
Internet
For you Internet surfers, Bruce’s newsgroup is at rec.music.artists.bruce-hornsby.
Questions for Bruce
1. I’ve wondered if your life experiences are what you are writing and playing (with so much feeling) about?
Generally, I write songs about people, places, and events that I hear about or experience first hand. Some of it’s personal, but most of it’s not. Sometimes I’ve written about personal experiences, but very rarely. One of my favorites, “Fields of Gray,” I wrote for my twin boys Russell and Keith.
2. How did you learn to play the piano? How old were you when you started playing? How good were you when you were 12 years old?
I wasn’t good when I was 12 because I didn’t play piano. I played the guitar. i started paying piano at 17 by ear, picking out things off records, and I gradually got serious about it. I started taking lessons and ended up getting my degree in music from the University of Miami.
3. What do the lyrics of “Big Rumble” mean?
It’s about the worship of sports figures, the turning of sports into religion, and making it so important. It’s not an indictment or some scathing commentary, it just is what it is, and I’m saying I’m right in there with them. You can listen to the bridge and get that from it.
4. When you write your songs, which comes to mind first-a melody or a set of lyrics?
Different songs come different ways. You can generally tell songs where the lyrics were written first because the music is very simple. The songs written music first tend to be more complicated and involved musically.
5. What does “Mr. D.E.” mean in “The Longest Night”?
Mr. Distributive Education. Sort of like an area in school where you leave school early to go to work.
European Tour Dates
| Date | City | Venue |
| November 30 | Dublin | Olympia Theatre |
| December 2 | Hamburg | Musikhalle |
| December 3 | Frankfurt | Alto Oper |
| December 5 | Amsterdam | The Milky Way |
| December 6 | Antwerp | Bourla Theatre |
| December 10 | Cologne | Gloria |
| December 11 | Stockholm | Gino |
| December 13 | Vienna | Metrepol |
| December 14 | Munich | Wappensaal |
| December 16 | Zurich | Albani Club Winterthur |
| December 17 | Milan | Magazine Generale |
| December 18 | London | The Union Chapel |