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Liepman Literary Agency
Marc Koralnik
Original language
English

HAVE A LITTLE FAITH

Michael Elliot

The John Hiatt Story

A journey through an artist's quest for success, deep dive into alcoholism, family tragedy, and ultimate triumph.
"You already know John Hiatt is one of our best songwriters, but what you might not know is his life is as great a story as his songs. . . . I thought I knew my John Hiatt, but I learned a lot." —David Menconi, author of Step It Up and Go

By the mid-1980s, singer-songwriter John Hiatt had been dropped from three record labels, burned through two marriages, and had fallen deep into alcoholism.

It took a stint in rehab and a new family to inspire him, then a producer and an A&R man to have a little faith. By February 1987, he was back in the studio on a shoestring budget with a hand-picked supergroup consisting of Ry Cooder on guitar, Nick Lowe on bass, and Jim Keltner on drums, recording what would become his masterpiece, Bring the Family.

Based on author Michael Elliott's multiple extensive and deeply personal interviews with Hiatt as well as his collaborators and contemporaries, including Rosanne Cash, Bonnie Raitt, Ry Cooder, and many others, HAVE A LITTLE FAITH is the journey through the musical landscape of the 1960s through today that places Hiatt's long career in context with the glossy pop, college-alternative, mainstream country, and heartland rock of the last half-century.

Hiatt's life both pre- and post-Family will be revealed, as well as the music loved by critics, fellow musicians, and fans alike.

Mike Elliott is a staff writer for the pioneering roots music authority No Depression. His music writing has also appeared in PopMatters and The Bitter Southerner. Elliott spent close to thirty years in radio as operations manager, music director, program director, and disc jockey in a variety of formats. He has interviewed and produced profiles on musicians as diverse as Isaac Hayes, Charlie Daniels, Delbert McClinton, Johnny Rivers, and Little Richard. He lives in Wake Forest, NC.
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Published 2021-09-01 by Chicago Review Press