Bruce Hornsby facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bruce Hornsby
Hornsby in 2019
Background information
Birth name	Bruce Randall Hornsby
Born	(1954-11-23) November 23, 1954 (age 70) Williamsburg, Virginia, U.S.
Genres	Rock, gospel, heartland rock, jazz, bluegrass, blues rock
Occupation(s)	Singer, musician
Instruments	Vocals piano
Years active	1974–present
Labels	RCA, CBS/Sony, Sony BMG, Vanguard, Sire
Associated acts	Bruce Hornsby Trio, Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia, Ricky Skaggs, Bob Weir, Dave Matthews Band, Sting, Ambrosia, Jack DeJohnette, Jackson Browne, Eric Clapton, Huey Lewis, Bonnie Raitt, The Other Ones, Bob Dylan, Don Henley, Hall & Oates, Bon Iver, Ezra Koenig

Bruce Randall Hornsby (born November 23, 1954) is an American singer, songwriter, and piano player. His music mixes many styles like folk rock, jazz, bluegrass, rock, and blues rock.

Bruce Hornsby has won three Grammy Awards. He won one in 1987 with his band, Bruce Hornsby and the Range, for Best New Artist. He also won for Best Bluegrass Recording in 1990 and Best Pop Instrumental Performance in 1994.

He has played with his band, Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers. He also has a bluegrass project with Ricky Skaggs. From 1990 to 1992, he was a touring member of the Grateful Dead, playing over 100 shows. His 23rd album, Flicted, came out in May 2022.

Early Life and Music Start

Bruce Randall Hornsby was born in Williamsburg, Virginia. His dad was a lawyer and musician, and his mom played piano. He has two brothers, Robert and John Hornsby, who also play music. John has even written songs with Bruce.

Bruce went to James Blair High School in Williamsburg. He played on the basketball team and graduated in 1973. He later studied music at the University of Richmond, Berklee College of Music, and the University of Miami. He graduated in 1977.

In 1974, Bruce's older brother Bobby formed a band called "Bobby Hi-Test and the Octane Kids." Bruce played piano and sang with them. They played songs by bands like the Allman Brothers Band and the Grateful Dead.

After college in 1977, Bruce played music in local clubs in Williamsburg. In 1980, he moved to Los Angeles with his brother John. They spent three years writing songs for 20th Century Fox. Bruce also worked as a session musician, playing on other artists' recordings. In 1982, he joined the band Ambrosia for their last album.

Forming The Range Band

In 1984, Bruce Hornsby started his own band called Bruce Hornsby and the Range. They signed with RCA Records in 1985. The band members were Bruce Hornsby (piano, vocals), David Mansfield (guitar, mandolin, violin), George Marinelli (guitars), Joe Puerta (bass), and John Molo (drums).

Their first big hit was "The Way It Is" in 1986. It reached number one on the music charts. The song talked about important ideas like fairness and equality. Many rap artists, including Tupac Shakur, have used parts of this song in their own music.

The album The Way It Is sold millions of copies. It also had other popular songs like "Mandolin Rain" and "Every Little Kiss". The band's music mixed rock, jazz, and bluegrass. Bruce Hornsby and the Range won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1987.

The band's sound was special because of Bruce's piano solos. He used a bright piano sound and lots of synthesizers. The drums often had a fast, looping beat. This allowed the band to play longer, more creative solos.

Their second album, Scenes from the Southside, came out in 1988. It had songs like "Look Out Any Window" and "The Valley Road". Bruce and his brother John also wrote "Jacob's Ladder" for their friend Huey Lewis, which became a number one hit for him.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Bruce worked with many other artists. He played piano on Don Henley's hit "The End of the Innocence" and Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me". He also appeared on albums by Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton.

Bruce started adding jazz and bluegrass sounds to his music. In 1989, he played at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. He also remade "The Valley Road" with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, which won a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Recording in 1990.

In 1990, he released A Night on the Town. This album featured jazz musicians like Wayne Shorter and bluegrass banjo player Bela Fleck. It also included guitar work from Jerry Garcia. Bruce and the Range began to play longer, more free-flowing songs in concert. After a final tour in 1991, Bruce decided to end the Range to explore new musical styles.

Playing with the Grateful Dead

Hornsby playing accordion in Central Park in New York City

Bruce Hornsby first played with the Grateful Dead in 1988. He became a regular touring member of the band a few years later. From 1988 until Jerry Garcia's death in 1995, Bruce played over 100 shows with them.

After the Grateful Dead's keyboard player died in 1990, Bruce played piano and accordion at many of their concerts. His music changed a lot during this time. The Grateful Dead's style of mixing folk music and blues with psychedelic rock helped Bruce try new things. Fans loved his ability to improvise and fit into the band's unique sound.

Bruce's friendship with Jerry Garcia grew, and they often challenged each other musically. Since then, Bruce's concerts have attracted many Grateful Dead fans. He often plays their songs and his own songs that the Dead used to play.

Bruce was the person who introduced the Grateful Dead when they were put into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He still works with projects related to the Grateful Dead, like Bob Weir's Ratdog. In 2015, he reunited with the surviving members of the Grateful Dead for special concerts.

Solo Music Journey

Hornsby in Portland, Oregon, 2006

In 1993, Bruce released his first solo album, Harbor Lights. This album had more of a jazz sound. It featured famous musicians like Pat Metheny, Branford Marsalis, Jerry Garcia, and Phil Collins. Bruce won his third Grammy Award in 1993 for "Barcelona Mona," a song he wrote for the Barcelona Olympics.

His next album, Hot House, came out in 1995. It continued the jazz sound from Harbor Lights but also brought back some bluegrass elements.

Bruce likes to keep his music fresh and exciting. He once said that he thinks of his songs as "living beings" that change and grow over time. In his concerts, he often takes requests from the audience. He loves to mix different songs and styles together in new ways.

After working with Grateful Dead-related projects, Bruce released a double album called Spirit Trail in 1998. This album mixed instrumental songs with storytelling, rock, jazz, and other styles. It explored themes about life in the American South.

During these solo years, Bruce's piano playing became even more complex. He also started playing solo piano concerts. These shows allowed him to mix classical music, jazz, bluegrass, and his own songs. He said these solo tours helped him improve his piano playing a lot. In 2014, he released his first live solo album, Solo Concerts. His 21st album, Absolute Zero, came out in 2019.

The Noisemakers Band

Around 1998 to 2000, Bruce formed a new touring band called the Noisemakers. They played many spontaneous shows where they took requests from the audience. In 2000, Bruce released a live album called Here Come the Noise Makers with his new band.

In 2002, Bruce released Big Swing Face. This album was very experimental. Bruce played less piano and used more electronic sounds and drum loops. It was a big change from his usual style.

Hornsby performing a solo piano show in North Bethesda, Maryland, 2005. Audience requests are visible on the keyboard.

In 2004, Bruce signed with Columbia Records. He returned to a more acoustic, piano-focused sound with his album Halcyon Days. This album featured guest artists like Sting, Elton John, and Eric Clapton.

In 2006, Bruce released a four-CD/DVD box set called Intersections (1985–2005). It included many unreleased live songs and collaborations. One new song, "Song H," was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2007.

Bruce also started playing classical music more often. He would sometimes mix parts of J.S. Bach's famous pieces into his own songs during concerts. In 2009, Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers released their album Levitate. In 2011, they released a live album, Bride of the Noisemakers.

In 2016, the band released Rehab Reunion. On this album, Bruce played the dulcimer instead of the piano. It also featured guest singers like Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and Mavis Staples.

Skaggs & Hornsby and The Bruce Hornsby Trio

In 2007, Bruce teamed up with bluegrass musician Ricky Skaggs to make a bluegrass album called Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby. They also went on tour together. The album mixed bluegrass, country, and jazz, even including a bluegrass version of Rick James's funk hit "Super Freak". The album was very popular and showed that piano could fit well in bluegrass music. They released a live album, Cluck Ol' Hen, in 2013.

At the same time, Bruce recorded a jazz album called Camp Meeting. He played with Christian McBride (bass) and Jack DeJohnette (drums). They played new versions of songs by famous jazz artists like John Coltrane and Miles Davis.

Other Projects and Collaborations

Bruce has worked on many projects with filmmaker Spike Lee. He has written songs for Spike Lee's movies like Clockers and Bamboozled. He also wrote the full music scores for several of Lee's films, including the Kobe Bryant documentary Kobe Doin' Work.

Bruce has also played with many other musicians. In 1991, he joined Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters on stage in Spain. In 2014, he toured with the Pat Metheny Unity Group. He also performed with Justin Vernon at music festivals like Coachella.

Bruce is a big fan of basketball and plays it regularly. He is friends with baseball manager Tony La Russa. This friendship led to Bruce meeting jazz bassist Christian McBride, which helped form The Bruce Hornsby Trio.

Musical Instruments

Bruce Hornsby uses a Steinway & Sons concert grand piano. He bought one in Switzerland in 1995. Before that, he used a Baldwin concert grand piano. He also uses a Korg M1 synthesizer. For his 2016 album Rehab Reunion, he played an Appalachian dulcimer.

Personal Life

Bruce Hornsby and his wife Kathy have twin sons, Russell and Keith, born in 1992. Russell ran track at the University of Oregon, and Keith played college basketball for Louisiana State University. They were named after musicians Leon Russell and Keith Jarrett.

Awards and Recognitions

Bruce Hornsby has received many awards for his music.

Discography

Here are some of Bruce Hornsby's albums:

Images for kids

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  Bruce Hornsby in 2019

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  Hornsby playing accordion in Central Park in New York City

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  Hornsby in Portland, Oregon, 2006

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  Hornsby performing a solo piano show in North Bethesda, Maryland, 2005. Audience requests are visible on the keyboard.

See also

In Spanish: Bruce Hornsby para niños