John Hornsby
Encyclopedia
John Hornsby is an American
composer
, musician
and actor
. He is a brother of musician and composer Bruce Hornsby
, and the two have collaborated often.
Hornsby co-wrote seven of nine songs on the multi-platinum
album, The Way It Is
, including the top-five hit, "Mandolin Rain
". Other tracks on the album helped establish what some labeled the "Virginia sound", a mixture of rock
, jazz
, and bluegrass
, with an observational Southern feel. Bruce Hornsby's group, Bruce Hornsby and the Range, would go on to win the Grammy Award for Best New Artist
in 1986. The Hornsby brothers co-wrote "The Valley Road
" for the group's 1988 follow-up album, Scenes from the Southside
.
John Hornsby contributed to six film soundtracks
and was an actor
in A Place to Grow in 1998, playing one of the "Centennial Singers."
He currently lives in Charlottesville, Virginia
, with his wife, Paige, and daughters Charlotte, Emily, Jane and son Nathan.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. He is a brother of musician and composer Bruce Hornsby
Bruce Hornsby
Bruce Randall Hornsby is an American singer, pianist, accordion player, and songwriter. Known for the spontaneity and creativity of his live performances, Hornsby draws frequently from classical, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Motown, rock, blues, and jam band musical traditions with his songwriting and...
, and the two have collaborated often.
Hornsby co-wrote seven of nine songs on the multi-platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
album, The Way It Is
The Way It Is (Bruce Hornsby album)
The Way It Is is Bruce Hornsby and the Range's debut album, released in 1986. Led by its hit title track, the album went on to achieve multi-platinum status and helped the group to win the Grammy Award for Best New Artist. Other hits from the album include "Mandolin Rain" and "Every Little Kiss"...
, including the top-five hit, "Mandolin Rain
Mandolin Rain
"Mandolin Rain" is the third track of The Way It Is, the debut album and commercial zenith for Bruce Hornsby and the Range. The song, released in late 1986, was a #4 hit single for the band in March 1987, following on the success of their previous single, the #1 hit and title track of their debut...
". Other tracks on the album helped establish what some labeled the "Virginia sound", a mixture of rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, and bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
, with an observational Southern feel. Bruce Hornsby's group, Bruce Hornsby and the Range, would go on to win the Grammy Award for Best New Artist
Grammy Award for Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967...
in 1986. The Hornsby brothers co-wrote "The Valley Road
The Valley Road
"The Valley Road" is the title of a song recorded by Bruce Hornsby and the Range. Hornsby co-wrote the song with his brother John Hornsby and co-produced it with Neil Dorfsman...
" for the group's 1988 follow-up album, Scenes from the Southside
Scenes from the Southside
Scenes from the Southside is the second album by Bruce Hornsby and the Range. The single "The Valley Road" was Hornsby's third Top 10 U.S. hit, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, and also his first number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart...
.
John Hornsby contributed to six film soundtracks
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
and was an actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
in A Place to Grow in 1998, playing one of the "Centennial Singers."
He currently lives in Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
, with his wife, Paige, and daughters Charlotte, Emily, Jane and son Nathan.