From his beginnings as a prog-rock fan in northern Michigan to playing keyboards for the Moody Blues, Hewitt boasts some impressive influences and an impressive resume.
Loving Progressive Rock Music With Soul: Alan Hewitt at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. (Courtesy Photo)
EDITOR’S NOTE: All musicians can trace their inspiration to key recordings that influenced their careers. Writer Ross Boissoneau today showcases music that changed the world for Petoskey native Alan Hewitt. Scroll down for a Spotify playlist of his picks, including a current favorite and a couple of his own songs.
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Alan Hewitt fell in love with music at an early age.
The Petoskey native grew up listening to epic progressive music by the likes of King Crimson, Yes, Gentle Giant and the like. He and his music-loving pals would drive to Detroit for shows.
“I saw a lot at Cobo Hall. Earth, Wind & Fire, Elton John – he was a big influence – Edgar Winter’s White Trash. To see all those groups was inspirational,” Hewitt says.
But it wasn’t until attending Berklee College of Music that he found his way to the instrument that would take him on a similar musical journey as his heroes.
“Chick Corea and Return to Forever blew my mind. I wanted to be Lenny White. I worked with Kenwood Dennard (drummer for Manhattan Transfer and Brand X) when he was a senior and I was a freshman.”
On Stage: Alan Hewitt (Courtesy Photo)
But as he began moving into composition and arranging, he turned to the piano. “I always played piano. There was a piano on my parents’ front porch.” That’s the instrument he had started writing music on, so it was a natural progression.”
The move seems to have worked out. Hewitt played keyboards on hair metal band Warrant’s multi-platinum album “Cherry Pie,” and began a solo career that has resulted in more than a dozen albums so far, as well as work on numerous television programs (“Saturday Night Live,” “Dancing With The Stars,” “Inside the NFL,” “General Hospital”) and movie soundtracks (“Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason,” “Happy Gilmore”).
Along the way, he picked up production and playing credits alongside Maurice White and Earth, Wind and Fire, and played keyboards for the Moody Blues from 2010 until the band called it quits in 2018. He subsequently toured with Moodies guitarist and vocalist Justin Hayward before joining forces with the other surviving member, bassist John Lodge, in his 10,000 Light Years band. He now makes his home in Florida.
Hewitt — winner of an ESPY Award and a Golden Planet Award — says his early years of driving to Detroit for concerts provided the impetus for his career. “Everything kind of comes around. I saw Dick Wagner in my teens, then worked with him when I was in my 20s. Jon Davison (Yes vocalist) tours with us. Tony Kaye (original Yes keyboardist) is a good friend of mine.”
1. Emerson, Lake & Palmer, “Brain Salad Surgery” (1973) – “Welcome back my friends” – that was a great song (“Karn Evil 9”). “Trilogy” and “Tarkus” were great, too. I saw Emerson, Lake & Palmer at Cobo. At the time I was a drummer and Carl was my focus. They had a great three- or four-year run. The stuff Keith was doing on keys was incredible. Their stuff was pretty amazing. It was musically really cool. We did the Royal Affair tour (with Yes, Asia and Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy in 2019). Carl was my hero as a drummer early on. We got to have breakfast together every day.
Listen: “Karn Evil 9”
2. Chick Corea and Return to Forever, “Romantic Warrior” (1976) – I saw Return to Forever, and Lenny White blew my mind. They weren’t playing huge places at the time. It was really amazing, the musicality, unbelievable musicianship. That was my favorite version of (RTF). It had enough rock in it that kept it interesting.
Listen: “Sorceress”
3. Genesis, “Selling England By The Pound” (1973) – Lyrically, the way the songs are put together. It was an epic, theatrical style. I was interested in complicated music from the get-go. When I was younger I wanted it to be more challenging. That’s why progressive rock appealed to me. It was complicated, but there was soul to it. It was still melodic. If it’s riff to riff, it doesn’t do much for me. Tony Banks (Genesis keyboardist) doesn’t get enough credit. He did some really interesting things.
Listen: “Firth of Fifth”
Currently Loving: Older Music – I don’t listen to a lot of music now. I do film and TV and compose for a lot of different shows. I don’t like to absorb a lot of stuff the way things are now with copyright issues. I listen to classical, jazz, older stuff.
ALBUMS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD: Alan Hewitt’s Playlist on Spotify
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