Singer-songwriter John Hiatt brings intimate show to MSU Riley Center on Nov. 20
MERIDIAN, MS鈥"An Acoustic Evening with John Hiatt"聽presents one of America鈥檚 great singer-songwriters in an intimate, stripped-down setting at the MSU Riley Center. The Nov. 20 concert starts at 7:30 p.m.
The historic American treasure that is the Riley Center is a perfect venue for Hiatt, winner of a 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting from the Americana Music Association. Three Dog Night, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Buffett, Keith Urban, Linda Ronstadt, Rosanne Cash, Willie Nelson and B.B. King are just some of the artists who have recorded his rich, insightful songs.
Through them, even people who have never listened to a Hiatt album or seen one of his shows have grown to love such masterpieces as 鈥淪ure as I鈥檓 Sittin鈥 Here,鈥 鈥淎cross the Borderline,鈥 鈥淭he Way We Make a Broken Heart,鈥 鈥淗ave a Little Faith in Me,鈥 鈥淢emphis in the Meantime,鈥 鈥淎ngel Eyes鈥 and 鈥淭hing Called Love.鈥 They鈥檙e straightforward and approachable, steeped in blues, rock and other deeply American musical styles, and packed with thought-provoking turns of phrase.
On this tour, Hiatt is featuring new songs from his latest album, 鈥淭he Eclipse Sessions,鈥 released last year. His record label, New West Records, described them this way: 鈥淭here鈥檚 a grit to these songs 鈥 a craggy, perfectly imperfect quality that colors every aspect of the performances, right down to Hiatt鈥檚 vocals, which are quite possibly his most raw and expressive to date.鈥
The acoustic format features his subtle guitar playing and his soulful voice, which has definitely gotten growlier over the years. He鈥檚 67, so some weathering is inevitable. 鈥淏ut I don鈥檛 mind a bit,鈥 Hiatt said. 鈥淎ll the catches and the glitches and the gruffness, that sounds right to me. That sounds like who I am.鈥
Tickets are $60 for VIP seats, $45 for A seats and $35 for B seats at the MSU Riley Center Box Office, which is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and one hour before showtime. Tickets can be purchased online at or by calling the box office at 601-696-2200.