Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
No teaser today… So when I started doing this, I made a list of 15 artists I wanted to do an in-depth interview with before I leave this planet, and so far I’ve checked off about half my list with Sting, Brian Wilson, and a few others. Well, I just checked off another one... Coming up it’s the evolution of one of my favorite artists ever… Ya know, as a Gen-Xer coming of age in the 80s, there were only a dozen artists or bands that I got genuinely excited for when news of a new song or record would come out. Back in the day, before social media, when such news came from MTV, the radio, or a rock magazine... back when a new album was truly an event. Many of you watching remember that indescribable feeling of waking up on Christmas morning. It felt like you were on top of the world. Well, today’s guest was one of those magical artists for me. When he first hit the mainstream in 1986 with his unique piano playing, especially on his song the Way It Is… The song became the most unlikely #1 hit of the 80s. It didn’t sound like anything on 80s radio, I mean, it had no distinct chorus and was truly serious social commentary alongside the typical pop fare of 1986 and 1987, where Everybody was Wang Chunging and Walking like an Egyptian. But that’s why I fell in love with Bruce Hornsby’s music… he was always naturally zigging when the mainstream was zagging. And from there, he became one of my favorite artists because he has always been a true musical explorer. Well, I had a chance to talk to Bruce about his greatest songs and his new album, and it was amazing. From The Way It Is and Mandolin Rain to his collaborations with fellow artists that have pierced our souls like The End of the Innocence with Don Henley and I Can’t Make You Love Me with Bonnie Raitt. Let’s get into it.
Get the new album Indigo Park here:
bruce-hornsby-mt.myshopify.com/collections/indigo-park
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Executive Producer
Brandon Fugal
Honorary Producers
Moon Comix, Scratchers J Scratcherton esq, fakeaorta, Mark Thompson, skymech9
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subscribe to the Professor of Rock Podcast
Apple: apple.co/445fVov
Spotify: spoti.fi/42JpfvU
Amazon: amzn.to/44b5D6m
iHeartRadio: bit.ly/444h8MO
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Patreon: bit.ly/ProfessorofRockVIPFan
Merch Store: professor-of-rock-lsn-shop.fourthwall.com
Instagram: bit.ly/Instagram_Professor_of_Rock
#classicrock #80smusic #80srock
Music Junkies, it’s time for another episode of our series “Evolution.” In this show, we tell the story of an artist's career through their most defining track across their major albums and A-side and B-side from each record. Today, we will focus on Bruce’s first 4 albums plus his new one. These may not be a band’s most popular songs, and they may not even be my personal favorites. But each song will to take you from the beginning to the end of an artist's journey and showcase the evolution of their sound and artistic direction in that period. . Let’s get into it. Bruce Hornsby was on his way to being a baller as a standout player on his high school team but hearing one record from his brother changed everything: here’s what he told me:
Bruce met Huey Lewis early on, and Huey was blown away by his talent, so he reid to help Bruce get signed with a label. Here’s what Huey and Bruce told me about that:
So Bruce signed with RCA and put out his album, The Way It Is. Which brings me to my first evolution pick: for my A-side, I’m going with the title track..one of the greatest #1 hits of the decade: Here’s Bruce on it.
My B side pick is Mandolin Rain, which showcases Bruce’s gift for lyricism.
After 3 big hits from his debut album, including The Way It Is, Mandolin Rain, and Every Little Kiss, Bruce released Scenes from the Southside… My A-side pick from this album is the top 5 single The Valley Road. Here’s Bruce on the song
My B Side Pick from the album is the Show Goes ON.
For my next evolution pick, I’m going to go outside of his albums and focus on two incredible collaborations Bruce did, including the incredible music he wrote that Don Henley would put lyrics to: The End of the Innocence, the huge hit from 1989... here’s Bruce on the story.
My next pick is his incredible playing on Bonnie Raitt’s heart-wrenching classic I Can’t Make You Love Me.
Going into 1990, Bruce would release his third and final album with the Range, the impeccable record A Night on the Town. My pick from this album is the top 20 hit with its blazing solo by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, Across the River: Here’s Bruce on the classic hit.
No teaser today… So when I started doing this, I made a list of 15 artists I wanted to do an in-depth interview with before I leave this planet, and so far I’ve checked off about half my list with Sting, Brian Wilson, and a few others. Well, I just checked off another one... Coming up it’s the evolution of one of my favorite artists ever… Ya know, as a Gen-Xer coming of age in the 80s, there were only a dozen artists or bands that I got genuinely excited for when news of a new song or record would come out. Back in the day, before social media, when such news came from MTV, the radio, or a rock magazine... back when a new album was truly an event. Many of you watching remember that indescribable feeling of waking up on Christmas morning. It felt like you were on top of the world. Well, today’s guest was one of those magical artists for me. When he first hit the mainstream in 1986 with his unique piano playing, especially on his song the Way It Is… The song became the most unlikely #1 hit of the 80s. It didn’t sound like anything on 80s radio, I mean, it had no distinct chorus and was truly serious social commentary alongside the typical pop fare of 1986 and 1987, where Everybody was Wang Chunging and Walking like an Egyptian. But that’s why I fell in love with Bruce Hornsby’s music… he was always naturally zigging when the mainstream was zagging. And from there, he became one of my favorite artists because he has always been a true musical explorer. Well, I had a chance to talk to Bruce about his greatest songs and his new album, and it was amazing. From The Way It Is and Mandolin Rain to his collaborations with fellow artists that have pierced our souls like The End of the Innocence with Don Henley and I Can’t Make You Love Me with Bonnie Raitt. Let’s get into it.
Get the new album Indigo Park here:
bruce-hornsby-mt.myshopify.com/collections/indigo-park
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Executive Producer
Brandon Fugal
Honorary Producers
Moon Comix, Scratchers J Scratcherton esq, fakeaorta, Mark Thompson, skymech9
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subscribe to the Professor of Rock Podcast
Apple: apple.co/445fVov
Spotify: spoti.fi/42JpfvU
Amazon: amzn.to/44b5D6m
iHeartRadio: bit.ly/444h8MO
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Patreon: bit.ly/ProfessorofRockVIPFan
Merch Store: professor-of-rock-lsn-shop.fourthwall.com
Instagram: bit.ly/Instagram_Professor_of_Rock
#classicrock #80smusic #80srock
Music Junkies, it’s time for another episode of our series “Evolution.” In this show, we tell the story of an artist's career through their most defining track across their major albums and A-side and B-side from each record. Today, we will focus on Bruce’s first 4 albums plus his new one. These may not be a band’s most popular songs, and they may not even be my personal favorites. But each song will to take you from the beginning to the end of an artist's journey and showcase the evolution of their sound and artistic direction in that period. . Let’s get into it. Bruce Hornsby was on his way to being a baller as a standout player on his high school team but hearing one record from his brother changed everything: here’s what he told me:
Bruce met Huey Lewis early on, and Huey was blown away by his talent, so he reid to help Bruce get signed with a label. Here’s what Huey and Bruce told me about that:
So Bruce signed with RCA and put out his album, The Way It Is. Which brings me to my first evolution pick: for my A-side, I’m going with the title track..one of the greatest #1 hits of the decade: Here’s Bruce on it.
My B side pick is Mandolin Rain, which showcases Bruce’s gift for lyricism.
After 3 big hits from his debut album, including The Way It Is, Mandolin Rain, and Every Little Kiss, Bruce released Scenes from the Southside… My A-side pick from this album is the top 5 single The Valley Road. Here’s Bruce on the song
My B Side Pick from the album is the Show Goes ON.
For my next evolution pick, I’m going to go outside of his albums and focus on two incredible collaborations Bruce did, including the incredible music he wrote that Don Henley would put lyrics to: The End of the Innocence, the huge hit from 1989... here’s Bruce on the story.
My next pick is his incredible playing on Bonnie Raitt’s heart-wrenching classic I Can’t Make You Love Me.
Going into 1990, Bruce would release his third and final album with the Range, the impeccable record A Night on the Town. My pick from this album is the top 20 hit with its blazing solo by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, Across the River: Here’s Bruce on the classic hit.
