By Steve Dickens

Robert Cray and John Hiatt are hitting the road together on a summer tour and are sure to pack houses across the country. Fans in the Hampton Roads will be lucky enough to see them this August 6th. I was able to catch up with both of them recently to ask about the tour, their new CDs and other stuff.
Unfortunately, I think John Hiatt was caught at the wrong time. The title to his new CD from New West Records is titled Beneath the Gruff Exterior and it seemed perfectly fitting for him. Don't get me wrong; he was very accommodating with my questions, but I must have been on the back end of way too many interviews that day.
Even though we spoke a lot about current events (e.g. the new CD, his band The Goners, the tour), what seemed most interesting was his past. John's songs have been recorded by Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson and countless others. His song-writing ability is uncanny and is mostly taken from his everyday life. When asked about the inspiration for such songs, he said, "It comes from everywhere and can draw from just about anything; something I overhear or something I go through or a friend of mine goes through; a trial, a tribulation, a joy, a failure." He is proud of the new songs on Behind the Gruff Exterior and promised a good mix of the old and the new at his upcoming show.
While Hiatt was already playing warm-up dates when I found him in Portland, Oregon, Robert Cray was still rehearsing for the tour "somewhere in the Bay Area" when we spoke. He was polite, professional and one of the best interviews I have had. His Sanctuary Records debut, Time Will Tell, is not only a throwback of that famous soulful style Cray is known for, but a step forward into songs inspired by recent events and uncertain times. It was the first time in their career that the band was able to record the album without first signing on with a record label. "It was kind of a shock to me to do it in the first place," he said about recording the CD, "plus we would have had to wait several more months for it to come out (on other labels). It was nice because of the fact that we had the freedom to do whatever we wanted without anyone coming in to check on our progress." It marked the first time he and long-time keyboard player Jim Pugh co-produced a CD. Robert also debuted on the electric sitar plus a string section was used for the first time on any of their releases. "We went outside of what people might perceive as our boundaries," he added.
Cray's songs have also been recorded by many great artists such as B.B. King, Albert King, Eric Clapton and even Tony Bennett. Interesting side-notes about him include blues legend Albert Collins playing at this high school graduation and then he went on to play in Collins' back-up band five years later. Robert also played bass in the movie Animal House with Otis Day and the Nights.
In the end, both men are well respected, recorded, rewarded and regarded by their peers as two of the best in the music business. It's good to know I have the same opinion as some of the best musicians around. Find out for yourself this August 6th at NTelos Pavilion what all the talk is about.