Bruce Hornsby, the AOR jazz musician celebrated for his massive hit “The Way It Is,” has embarked on a surprising journey into the avant-garde, yet is now experiencing an unexpected wave of mainstream recognition. “Well,” he reflects upon the release of his latest album, “it’s certainly more pleasant than being overlooked.”
He shares a vivid, somewhat unsettling, childhood memory from his home in Williamsburg, Virginia, one of the United States’ oldest towns. Speaking via Zoom, Hornsby recalls the day before his ninth birthday when, upon hearing of JFK’s assassination, his classmates erupted in cheers and shouts of “Hooray! Nixon can take over!” “That was my experience!” he shrugs. This unsettling event is revisited in an impressionistic track from his new album, *Indigo Park*, where he sings: “I was really alarmed and confused / Watching the children parroting parents’ views.”
Until recently, Hornsby seldom incorporated autobiographical elements into his lyrics, meaning much of his personal story remained untold. His most famous song, “The Way It Is,” was a potent piece of social commentary, deeply rooted in his liberal upbringing amidst the segregated South. His aunt was a notable activist, campaigning against figures like Senator Harry F. Byrd, who staunchly opposed the desegregation of Virginia’s schools during the 1950s.