By Miles Patrick Yohnke
© 2022 All Rights Reserved.
On a blustery winter night of December 3, 1988, John Hiatt performed a concert at the Broadway Theatre, here in my home city of Saskatoon. The cozy atmosphere and intimacy of his performance warmed our collective hearts as the bitter sky outside wept.
John Hiatt was at the height of his creative prowess with the release of his 1987 album: "Bring the Family" and his 1988 album: "Slow Turning" after years of professional failure & personal struggle.
When I saw him on that fateful night, he was touring in support of his most recent album: "Slow Turning." His band included slide legend Sonny Landreth
I had dead-centre front row seats, and coincidentally, John Hiatt was wearing the very same white Giorgio Armani dress shirt as I (both buttoned up to the top with no tie).
I have been very fortunate to have seen thousands of concerts in every genre of music in my 58 years of life. That concert of John Hiatt's was simply the finest concert of storytelling I'd ever witnessed. John Hiatt had constructed the perfect blend of pace and space within his musical performance and impeccable craft of narrative that evening.
When he came to the song "Have A Little Faith in Me" he was brutally honest and took complete ownership of his actions. He talked about his cocaine addiction. His vodka addiction. He had quit both three years earlier. "Have A Little Faith in Me" was the first song written by Hiatt following his sobriety from drugs and alcohol, which had contributed to his marriage breakdown and his being released by former record labels.
Hiatt's original attempt at recording the song took place at a friend's studio and included a larger instrumental accompaniment. However, the recording was plagued by technical issues. The morning after he recorded the song, Hiatt was informed that his estranged wife, film sound editor, Isabella Wood, had committed suicide.
When John Hiatt performed "Have A Little Faith in Me" on that first Sunday of December 1988, in the Broadway Theatre, I listened to his love letter to Isabella Wood. I wept as he performed it. Isabella Wood never heard her song. She hung herself on Tuesday, April 23, 1985.
Isabella and John shared a daughter, Lilly Hiatt. She was three days shy of her 1st birthday.
Here, we see John Hiatt performing the song just like he performed it on December 3, 1988, at Saskatoon's Broadway Theatre. And, yes, that is the very same white Giorgio Armani dress shirt I wear to this day.
For Isabella Cecilia Wood (October 7, 1954 - April 23, 1985)
JOHN HIATT - HAVE A LITTLE FAITH IN ME
When the road gets dark
And you can no longer see
Just let my love throw a spark
And have a little faith in me
When the tears you cry
Are all you can believe
Just give these loving arms a try, baby
And have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
When your secret heart
Cannot speak so easily
Come here darlin'
From a whisper start
To have a little faith in me
When your back's against the wall
Just turn around and you will see
I'll be there, I'll be there to catch your fall
So have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
'Cause I've been loving you for such a long time, baby
Expecting nothing in return
Just for you to have a little faith in me
You see time, time is our friend
'Cause for us there is no end
All you gotta do is have a little faith in me (Have a little faith, ooh)
I will hold you up, I'm gonna hold you up
Because your love gives me strength enough
So have a little faith in me (Have a little faith)
All I want ya to do for me, baby
All ya gotta do is just to have a little bit of faith in me
(Have a little faith)
(Faith, have a little, faith, just a little)
Oh, you gotta choose, just to have a little faith in me
(Have a little faith)
(Faith, have a little, faith, just a little)
Have a little faith in me (Have a little faith in me)
Have a little faith in me (Have a little faith in me)
Have a little faith in me (Have a little faith in me)
Have a little faith in me (Have a little faith in me)
JOHN HIATT - HAVE A LITTLE FAITH IN ME - BRING THE FAMILY ALBUM VERSION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Subject: Numbers and Meanings
Release Date: April 23, 2023
"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards."
- Steve Jobs
One of the benefits of growing older is being able to look over your shoulder at your past.
Throughout much of my life I've come across people who've spoken about the significance of numbers and what it means to them. They exude such joy and gratitude when explaining the symbolism and synchronicity of numbers. I'd listen but let's just say I wasn't much of a 'believer'.
This newsletter isn't about me becoming a believer or about making you a believer or really about numbers and their meaning. That said, I have…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Subject: Have A Little Faith in Me
Release Date: Apr. 23, 2022
"When the road gets dark - And you can no longer see - Just let my love throw a spark - And have a little faith in me."
- John Hiatt
"[But] they can't kill music. God knows, they've tried. But music always wins. As long as there's kids coming up that have a passion. All the bean counters in the world can't kill that. You know? You just can't. They can try, of course, to feed you the most puerile, benign horse manure, but some kid's going to come along and demand something more than that."
- John Hiatt
"It's a whole package, singer/songwriter.…