John Robert Hiatt (b. 8/20/52) is an American singer-songwriter. His parents were Robert and Ruth Hiatt. He is the sixth of seven children in a Roman Catholic family from Indianapolis, Indiana. When he was 9 years old, Hiatt’s 21-year-old brother Michael died by suicide. Two years later, his father died after a long illness. To escape the stress of his early life, Hiatt watched IndyCar racing and listened to Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, and the blues. In his youth, Hiatt reports that he and several others stole a Ford Thunderbird, a crime for which he was caught by the owners but got away with, posing as a hitchhiker.
He learned to play the guitar when he was 11 and began his musical career in Indianapolis as a teenager. He played in a various local clubs such as Hummingbird and also with bands, including The Four-Fifths and John Lynch & the Hangmen.
Hiatt has played a variety of musical styles on his albums, including new wave, blues, and country. He’s been nominated for nine Grammy Awards and has been awarded a variety of other distinctions in the music industry.
Hiatt moved to Nashville, Tennessee, when he was 18 years old and got a job as a songwriter for the Tree-Music Publishing Company for $25 a week. Hiatt, who was unable to read or write scores, had to record all 250 songs he wrote for the company. In 1972 he also began playing with the band White Duck as one of three singer-songwriters within the group. White Duck had already recorded one album before Hiatt joined. He wrote and performed two songs on their second album In Season and performed live in many clubs around Nashville with them and also as a solo act.
It was when he was working as a songwriter for Tree International, a record label in Nashville, Tennessee, that his song “Sure As I’m Sittin’ Here” was covered by Three Dog Night. The song became a Top 40 hit, earning Hiatt a recording contract with Epic Records. Since then he has released 22 studio albums, two compilation albums and one live album.
John’s song I’ve chosen for today is, “Icy Blue Heart,” from his 1988 album, Slow Turning, his ninth album. It provided Hiatt’s only significant radio hit with the title track. The single “Slow Turning” was also featured in the 2002 motion picture drama The Rookie which starred Dennis Quaid. “Feels Like Rain” was later covered by Buddy Guy on an album of the same name and was featured in the 2004 Kate Hudson movie Raising Helen. Aaron Neville also covered “Feels Like Rain” on his 1991 album “Warm Your Heart”. “Drive South” became a No. 2 country hit for Suzy Bogguss in early 1993. “Icy Blue Heart” was covered by Emmylou Harris on her 1989 album Bluebird, with backing vocals by Bonnie Raitt, and was covered later by Linda Ronstadt on her 1998 album We Ran. Ilse DeLange recorded “It’ll Come To You”” and “Feels Like Rain” on her live album “Dear John”. During the barroom scene in the film “Thelma and Louise”, the band is playing “Tennessee Plates” (Charlie Sexton recorded the song for the soundtrack album.) Though not credited on the album cover, Hiatt is backed by The Goners.
She came onto him like a slow movin’ cold front
His beer was warmer than the look in her eyes
She sat on a stool, he said, “What do you want?”
She said, “Give me a love that don’t freeze up inside.”
He said, “I have melted some hearts in my time dear
But to sit next to you, Lord, I shiver and shake
And if I knew love, well, I don’t think I’d be here
Askin’ myself if I’ve got what it takes.”
CHORUS:
To melt your icy blue heart
Should I start?
To turn what’s been frozen for years
Into a river of tears
“These days we all play cool, calm and collected
Why, our lips could turn blue just shooting the breeze”
But under the frost, well, he thought he detected
A warm blush of red and a touch of her knee
He said, “Girl, you’re a beauty like I’ve never witnessed
And I’ve seen the Northern Lights dance in the air
But I’ve felt the cold that can follow the first kiss
And there’s not enough heat in the fires burning there.”
CHORUS
Songwriter: John Hiatt
Glyn Wilton is the host of Mixed Music Bag. Glyn says:
The MMB theme is to find a group or solo singer who’s name begins with G or H
Tao Talk 
Very happy that you wrote about John Hiatt today Lisa. I learned of his early years and a couple songs I didn’t know he wrote. While I knew of him before he really came on my radar when he teamed up with Nick Lowe and Jim Keltner when Ry Cooder got them together to form the one album band Liitle Village in 1991. You chose an excellent song “Icey Blue Heart” lyrics really show his skill as a songwriter. Great job.
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Randy, last night I learned he wrote, “Angel Eyes,” the song Jeff Healey covered and was in the original movie, “Road House.” Agree he is extremely talented songwriter!
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Great performer and song! I don’t think I’ve disliked anything I’ve heard from him…a great songwriter.
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I agree, Max. I was led back to your post you did on him about smashing guitar. He even does a performance in that show, “Treme.” I’ve been a frequent listener to the soundtrack for S1 that I bought. That’s a jumping album!
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He is solid through and through. I love his voice also…it fits his songs great.
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I kind of see him and Guy Clark in the same light.
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That is a good comparison
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I know the name John Hiatt but I never really followed his career. This is a good song though.
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Glyn, I know just a little about him but the more I learn the more I want to know. So many people have covered his songs and have had hits with them. Glad you like “Icy Blue Heart.” It resonates with me bigtime.
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One of the Best, enjoyed the read as I know his work but not his life – many thanks Li
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Paul, awhile back I decided the life events were way more important than the chart stats. Happy you learned new info about who he is. Of course happy you are familiar with him also <3
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Based on what I’ve heard to date, I’ve really come to dig John Hiatt. It’s no coincidence so many other artists have covered his songs. In addition to the ones you mentioned, there’s “Thing Called Love”, “Have a Little Faith in Me” and “Riding With the King”, which were recorded by Bonnie Raitt, Joe Cocker and Eric Clapton with BB King, respectively. I hope to see him live one day.
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He’s good stuff, all the way, Christian. I hope you do also. I learned about Thing Called Love last night but not sure I’ve heard the other 2. Maybe one of these days Randy will do a post about the Hiatt covers…
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😀
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Excellent, Christian. You Da Man!
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:-)
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This is another one of his that I *really* like:
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Yes, I know and love that song and think I’ve covered it as well!😀
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Cool! GMMTA :)
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Well you know I love “The River Knows Your Name” as I’ve featured it several times in posts. So many good songs. I see somebody already mentioned his work with Little Village. I also like this with Roseann Cash and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Such a cool track with him, Rose, and NGDB. I see it is from Will the Circle Be Unbroken Vol 2, which I think I heard about in Ken Burns Country Music series. Would like to get ahold of that and the first volumes.
For those who haven’t heard The River… :
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Me too. I checked and the library doesn’t have it.
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I love the mood and tempo of this song. It’s beautifully done. Thank you for sharing it and Hiatt’s story, Lisa.
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Glad you like it :)
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I really like this song. It has a very nostalgic feel to it.
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Yes it does, Dwight. It’s a good’n.
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:>)
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I wore this album out. This is just one great song along with a bunch of others. John has a high regard in my music pile. Has for a long time. We must be on same wavelength. I just laid down a Hiatt and Douglas take a while ago. You (and Max) also inspired me to add to your “Women in Music” vibe with one of my own. I’m on a roll with that vibe lately.
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Two awesome tunes, CB. Quality music!
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