John Hiatt is the most famous person you’ve never heard of. Well, that’s not entirely true. You’ve definitely heard him; you just didn't realize it was him.
If you’ve ever hummed along to Bonnie Raitt’s "Thing Called Love" or felt that weirdly specific emotional tug during a movie montage featuring "Have a Little Faith in Me," you’ve been living in Hiatt’s world. He is the ultimate "songwriter’s songwriter." It’s a title that sounds like a compliment but usually means you’re brilliant, broke, and watching other people win Grammys with your work.
Honestly, the guy has had a career that reads like a gritty Southern gothic novel. There’s the early success followed by years of being dropped from labels. There’s the struggle with the bottle. Then, the mid-80s "redemption" arc that gave us some of the most enduring songs by John Hiatt ever recorded.
As we roll into 2026, Hiatt is still at it, recently announcing a North American tour with Lyle Lovett. It’s a pairing that makes total sense—two guys who care more about the story than the chart position.
The Breakthrough That Almost Didn't Happen
By 1987, Hiatt was basically finished. He’d been through three labels and two marriages. He was clean, but he was also largely forgotten by the industry.
Then came Bring the Family.
He had a tiny budget and four days to record. He brought in a "supergroup" of Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe, and Jim Keltner. They didn't overthink it. They just played. The result was a raw, soulful masterpiece that changed everything.
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Have a Little Faith in Me
This is the big one. It’s been covered by everyone—Joe Cocker, Jewel, Mandy Moore, even Chaka Khan. But the original is just Hiatt and a piano.
The story goes that he wrote it right after getting sober. The piano performance on the record is actually the demo because they couldn't recreate the same desperate, honest energy twice. It’s a song about vulnerability. No bells, no whistles. Just a guy asking for a chance.
Thing Called Love
Bonnie Raitt turned this into a massive hit, but Hiatt’s version is a bit grittier. It’s got this nervous, driving energy. It’s not a "pretty" love song. It’s about the "rank and file" of a relationship—the hard work of staying together when you both know you're not perfect.
Why Other Artists Can't Stop Covering Him
There is a specific quality to songs by John Hiatt that makes them irresistible to other singers. He writes "big" emotions into "small" moments.
Take "Angel Eyes." Most people know the Jeff Healey Band version. It’s a blues-rock staple. But Hiatt wrote it as a gentle, almost fragile country-folk tune. He has this knack for writing lyrics that feel like they've existed forever, like they were just pulled out of the air.
- Bob Dylan covered "Across the Borderline."
- Iggy Pop (yes, really) did a version of "Something Wild."
- B.B. King and Eric Clapton made "Riding with the King" a title track.
- Rosanne Cash had a hit with "The Way We Make a Broken Heart."
The range is wild. From blues legends to pop stars, everyone wants a piece of that Hiatt magic. It’s because he doesn't write "filler." Every line serves the narrative. He’s a storyteller who happens to be a killer guitar player with a voice that sounds like it’s been cured in a smokehouse.
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The "Slow Turning" Era and the 1990s
After the success of Bring the Family, Hiatt didn't just lean back. He released Slow Turning in 1988, which featured his own backing band, The Goners. This album feels a bit more "lived-in."
The title track, "Slow Turning," is basically a manual on how to grow up without becoming boring. It’s got that famous line about "yelling at the kids in the back" because they’re banging like Charlie Watts. It’s domestic. It’s real. It’s rock and roll for people who actually have responsibilities.
Memphis in the Meantime
If you want to understand the "Americana" genre before it even had a name, listen to this. It’s a song about needing a change of pace—trading in the mandolins for something with a bit more soul. It’s funny, driving, and perfectly captures that restless feeling of being stuck in one place for too long.
Feels Like Rain
This might be his most atmospheric song. Buddy Guy eventually covered it, and it’s easy to see why. It’s sultry. It’s heavy. You can almost feel the humidity in the air when those opening chords hit.
The Late-Career Renaissance
A lot of artists from the 70s and 80s start coasting once they hit a certain age. Not Hiatt.
His 2021 collaboration with the Jerry Douglas Band, Leftover Feelings, was recorded at the historic RCA Studio B in Nashville. You can hear the ghosts in the room. Even in his 70s, his voice has this incredible texture—it's thinner than it used to be, but it carries more weight.
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He deals with some heavy stuff here, including the suicide of his older brother and his own past failures. It’s not "easy" listening, but it’s essential.
What Makes a Song a "Hiatt" Song?
It’s the humor. Even in his darkest moments, there’s usually a wry smile somewhere in the lyrics. He’s self-deprecating. He knows he’s a "flawed vessel," and he’s okay with that.
He also avoids the clichés of "heartland rock." You won't find many generic songs about "small towns" or "glory days." Instead, you get songs about the specific way a car drives, the exact sound of a child’s voice, or the crushing weight of a quiet house.
He’s a master of the "middle." Not the start of the race or the end, but the long, exhausting middle where most of us actually live.
How to Get Started with His Catalog
If you’re new to songs by John Hiatt, don't just hit shuffle on a "best of" list. You’ll miss the arc.
- Start with "Bring the Family" (1987). It’s the essential entry point. Listen to it start to finish.
- Move to "Slow Turning" (1988). This shows the "rocker" side of his personality.
- Check out "Crossing Muddy Waters" (2000). This is a largely acoustic, bluegrass-tinged album that proves he doesn't need a loud band to be powerful.
- Finish with "Leftover Feelings" (2021). It brings the story full circle.
The best way to experience Hiatt, though, is live. He’s touring through early 2026, often in intimate settings. He talks to the audience like he’s known them for years. He forgets lyrics sometimes. He laughs at himself. It’s human.
In a world of over-produced, AI-generated pop, there is something deeply grounding about a guy with a "perfectly good guitar" telling some truth.
Next Steps for Your Playlist:
To truly appreciate the depth of his writing, try a "Original vs. Cover" listening session. Listen to Hiatt’s version of "Drive South," then listen to the Suzy Bogguss version. Or compare his "Icy Blue Heart" to the Emmylou Harris cover. You’ll start to see the skeleton of the songs—the sturdy craftsmanship that allows different artists to inhabit his world without breaking it.