Some people are just so skilled and talented at their craft that you make judgements, you think they’re going to be one way, but they often turn out to be something quite different. I’ve learned not to judge books by their covers, but sometimes it’s hard to avoid.
I have so much respect for Bruce Hornsby, his writing, his performing, the fact that he’s one of the most adventurous musicians alive today; someone who resists looking backwards; he’s one of those rare breeds of artists who have their sights set on a goal off in the distance that we can’t see. So, you’ll have to excuse me if I was a bit intimated, assuming that, somehow, much of the conversation was going to go over my head.
But, wow—was I wrong. Mr. Hornsby couldn’t be a more affable, down-to-earth, engaging personality to chat with. In this episode, we discuss his brand-new album, Flicted, how it was pieced together during the pandemic but also represents a trilogy of sorts which compliments his most recent work.
The new album features some very talented special guests including Ezra Koenig from Vampire Weekend and Blake Mills. Of course, we discuss vinyl records and the ambitious and artistic path that he has forged throughout his musical career.
Sometimes you hear the adage that you don’t want to meet your heroes because your interaction with them might leave you disappointed. However, if you ever bump into Bruce Hornsby and have a chat, I can safely foretell your experience: you’ll walk away a bigger fan than you were before.
Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector, and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Evan Toth Show and TVD Radar on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.
