Happy Birthday Bruce Hornsby: Performing Live On ‘Rockpalast’ In 1990

Bruce Hornsby celebrates his 67th birthday today. The acclaimed singer-songwriter and keyboardist was born on November 23, 1954 in Williamsburg, Virginia. Following his music education including stints at the Berklee College of Music and a degree from the University of Miami in 1977, Bruce and his brother John Hornsby worked as songwriters in Los Angeles.

The experience presumably left Bruce with an ear for hitmaking as the second single, “The Way It Is,” from his band Bruce Hornsby And The Range hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1986. The song not only launched Hornsby’s career but was also massively influential across a number of genres but especially hip hop, with generations of rappers having sampled the song including Tupac Shakur and more recently Polo G in 2020.

After the success of “The Way It Is,” Hornsby continued his work with The Range — releasing Scenes From The Southside in 1988 — but also began collaborating with a number of rock legends including Bob Dylan, Leon Russell, Bonnie Raitt, Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead among others. Garcia played guitar on Hornsby’s 1990 album, A Night On The Town, around which Bruce toured that year including a performance for famed German live music program Rockpalast in October 1990.

Hornsby kicked off his ‘90 Rockpalast appearance with the title track from A Night On The Town and also delivered the album tracks “Across the River” and “Another Day.” Additionally, the performance contains the now Hornsby classics from his previous albums including “The Valley Road,” “Jacob’s Ladder,” “Look Out Any Window” and “The Way It Is,” the latter boasting an impressive, extended piano intro.

To celebrate Bruce Hornsby’s birthday, watch the renowned singer-songwriter and pianist perform on Rockpalast in 1990 below:

Setlist (via Rockpalast Archives)

Set: A Night On The Town, The Valley Road, The Show Goes On, Jacob’s Ladder, Defenders Of The Flag, Mandolin Rain, Lost Soul, The Way It Is, Across The River, Look Out Any Window, Another Day, The Wild Frontier

Notes:

*Medley not included in video