Heartland Rock Piano

As the piano is my favourite instrument and I listen to a lot of heartland rock, I decided to write an article discussing the heartland rock piano sound. I mention the use of piano in heartland rock songs ranging from big hits to album tracks. I’ll start with the song “American Storm” by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band. Bill’s piano contributes wonderfully to the full band sound with his playing. The piano notes go up the scale in a very heartland rock way. In their other song “The Ring”, it’s led by the piano of Silver Bullet Band keyboardist Craig Frost. Craig brings an epic feel with his playing and has two solos. The Ring fuses heartland rock with pop rock.

The Ring - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (1986)

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers had a piano-driven hit “Don't Do Me Like That”. Keyboardist Benmont Tench gives a memorable jolly piano part. Nearly a decade later, their song “Jammin’ Me” is a different type of heartland rock song. Benmont brings rock & roll piano sounds into a heartland rock setting. I love what the piano does in the chorus. In Billy Joel’s hit “Allentown”, he leads the song greatly with his piano playing. There is a great piano riff throughout the song.

Don’t Do Me Like That - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1979)

Cleveland heartland rock singer Michael Stanley had released music both with the Michael Stanley Band and solo. When keyboardist Kevin Raleigh joined the band, he was a songwriter and co-lead singer. The songs I’m featuring have two keyboardists Kevin Raleigh and Bob Pelander. They both contributed piano and I don’t know who was the piano player for each song. I wonder if Kevin played piano on the songs he wrote and Bob played the piano on the songs Michael wrote. Last Night, written by both Michael and Kevin is opened by the piano which has a majestic presence on this song. There is a section in the song where the piano notes go up and down in an epic rocking way.

Last Night - Michael Stanley Band (1979)

Promises, a Kevin Raleigh written song has the verses sung by Michael with the choruses seemingly sung by both Kevin and Michael. The piano is lively and energetic. There is a nice glissando after the first chorus. The song “Lover” has a nice piano riff which comes in following the guitar intro. The piano part isn’t the loudest, but it contributes greatly to the song’s sound. My Town is an epic rocker about Michael’s hometown. While this is a guitar-driven song, the piano provides good support including prominent notes during the choruses. How Can You Call This Love written and sung by Kevin has powerful rocking piano playing. The piano goes fast with deep notes.

How Can You Call This Love - Michael Stanley Band (1983)

Bruce Springsteen’s piano player Roy Bittan played wonderful jolly piano on Bruce’s hits “Hungry Heart” and “Glory Days’. Roy gives those songs a great upbeat feel with his playing. Singer Southside Johnny’s song “It’s Been a Long Time” has three lead vocalists with the other two being Bruce and Bruce’s E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt. Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes keyboardist Rusty Cloud provides a good musical base with his piano. Bruce Springsteen wrote, was one of the producers and his E Street Band played on the song “This Little Girl” by Gary U.S. Bonds. Roy’s piano fuses rock & roll and heartland rock sounds. He brings a similar jolly sound to what he brought to the Bruce songs I mentioned. I’ll continue mentioning other artists Roy played for.

Glory Days - Bruce Springsteen (1984)

On the Dire Straits song “Skateaway”, Roy’s piano comes about a minute into the song. Roy alternates between slow playing and fast playing. In the choruses, Roy plays in an epic way with his piano rocking in sync with the drums. Roy is driving the heartland rock sound of this song. In Dire Straits' more popular song “Romeo and Juliet” from the same album, Roy plays melodically. Roy’s strongest moments in the song have a very heartland rock feel. He backs Mark Knopfler’s guitars (which are both acoustic and electric) very well. Michael Stanley did a very good cover of this song. He’s an American heartland rock artist covering a heartland rock song by an English band going back musically to where it came from. The piano by Bob Pelander is more prominent than the original. Some people will hate what I’m about to say. I think it’s better than the original.

Skateaway - Dire Straits (1980)

Even Now is my favourite Bob Seger song. It’s one of his forgotten US hits. Roy’s piano goes up and down the scale in an incredible way. The piano matches greatly with Bob’s vocals with there being sections where Roy’s notes seem to be a musical response to what Bob sang. On “Roll Me Away”, another hit from the same album, Roy gives us majestic rocking piano. Another song Roy played for Bob is “The Fire Inside”, an epic rock song nearly six minutes long. It’s led by the piano and the fact that the guitar part is acoustic gives more room for the piano to rock. Roy’s piano is incredible and detailed which includes two solos.

The Fire Inside - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (1991)

On Jackson Browne’s “Here Come Those Tears Again”, Bill Payne plays piano in a warm way. The piano gives off its heartland rock vibes in the way the notes jump from one place to another. Jackson Browne’s epic rock song “The Fuse” has Craig Doerge play incredible heartland rock piano. Craig’s piano has deep dark notes that are so effective. The piano goes very well with David Lindley’s slide guitar. I love how Jackson fuses piano and guitar in a heartland rock setting in many of his songs. Jackson’s classic song “The Pretender” has rich piano from Craig. In parts of the song, the piano shifts from one note to another. 

The Pretender - Jackson Browne (1976)

Running on Empty is a faster rock song driven more by guitar, but Craig’s piano is still a big part of the song. It has an iconic piano opening. Craig incorporates rock & roll influences while maintaining the heartland rock sound. That Girl Could Sing is a case where Jackson played piano on one of his own songs. Jackson’s piano is catchy and has both slower and faster sections. In “For America”, the piano by Jai Winding has sections going back and forth between musical notes. It also has a few short parts led by the piano. Jai’s piano holds this guitar-driven song together very well. Jackson’s lyrics are thought provoking, especially in relation to America’s current issues and 250th anniversary.

That Girl Could Sing - Jackson Browe (1980)

So far these songs by classic rock artists were in the 20th century, with most of them being in the 70s and 80s. I’ll now feature three 21st century songs from classic rock artists. In Michael Stanley’s solo song “My Brand New Day”, Bob Pelander offers amazing, rich piano playing filled with depth. Elton John did a rare case of a heartland rock song in “England and America” ten years ago. Elton showcases his brilliant piano skills by playing different to the way he normally plays where he nails the heartland rock piano sound. Bob Seger’s “Forward Into the Past” is a guitar-driven song, but it’s supported well by Bill Payne’s piano. Bill brings out prominent piano notes in parts of the song which contribute greatly to its rock sound.

My Brand New Day - Michael Stanley (2009)

Companion Articles

I’m providing links to previous articles of mine which are companion articles as they discuss some of the same songs.

Ten Great Jackson Browne Songs by Ten Different Piano Players

Russ Kunkel’s Drumming for Bob Seger

Bill Payne’s Keyboards for Bob Seger

Ten Great Rock Songs Opening Albums

Ten Great Heartland Rock Songs

Six Strong Silver Bullet Band Work for Bob Seger

These songs show the prominent place piano has in heartland rock music. I like the fact that many of them feature a piano/organ combination. They cover a wide range on the rock spectrum going from soft to hard rock. Some of them fuse heartland rock with other styles such as rock & roll and pop rock. Most of the songs are by American artists, but I did include two English artists. They are Dire Straits and Elton John who fuse English rock with American heartland rock in the songs of theirs I featured. Elton’s song is apt for this as it’s literally about England and America. Heartland rock is a genre which has some epic long rock songs like “The Pretender” and “The Fire Inside”. I’d be interested in hearing what you think of the heartland rock piano sound.

Ten Great Heartland Rock Songs

I decided to write an article compiling a collection of songs in heartland rock, a type of rock music that originated in America. I am familiar with heartland rock as Bob Seger, who I’m a fan of works in that genre. Most of the artists in this list are American, but I do also include three British artists. I featured some heartland rock songs in my previous article “Ten Great Rock Songs Opening Albums”. We’re going to go to the mid 70s.

The Fuse - Jackson Browne (1976)

This song opens with Craig Doerge’s piano which has a uniquely heartland rock sound. David Lindley’s guitar plays a good supporting role. David’s playing has a slight country influence, while maintaining a clear rock feel. Country is in fact an influence of heartland rock. Craig does powerful heartland piano rocking including during instrumental passages. I like how Jackson sings aggressively in this track. This song rocks in a dark way.

Talk to Me - Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes (1978)

This song was written by Bruce Springsteen. There are nice horns throughout. A soul influence is present including in Southside Johnny’s singing. The piano has a jolly feel in contrast to the previous song, yet it maintains its heartland rock style. There is a nice saxophone solo.

Lover - Michael Stanley Band (1980)

This song by the Michael Stanley Band is sung & written by Michael. Michael mentions the “cold Ohio night” (his state) which is apt for this genre. Lover is one of the songs I’ve been listening to the most this year. There is a great saxophone presence in this song by Bruce Springsteen’s saxophonist Clarence Clemons. I love how Michael sings “Oooh Lover” in the chorus. This is contrasted well with Clarence’s saxophone notes. The bridge is great as it takes the melody in a different direction.

Hungry Heart - Bruce Springsteen (1980)

This is the first hit song featured on this list. Pianist Roy Bittan of Bruce’s E Street Band is also on the next three songs. This song is very melodic and led wonderfully by Roy’s piano. There is a nice organ solo by Danny Federici where Bruce lightly sings along with it. Bruce's vocals are unique as he’s singing neither softly nor aggressively. He sings the same sounds that he sang during the organ solo plus others at the end of the song.

Skateaway - Dire Straits (1980)

Dire Straits are English and aren’t a heartland rock band, but producer Jimmy Iovine and keyboardist Roy Bittan bring a heartland rock sound to the proceedings. They fuse American styles into an English sounding song. This song is written and sung by Mark Knopfler who’s Dire Straits’ lead singer & guitarist. Roy’s piano works wonderfully. He also plays organ. Mark speaks in parts of the song. He alternates between speaking and singing. Roy’s piano is a good match to Mark’s guitar which does nice playing in the end section.

Roll Me Away - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (1982)

Jimmy Iovine also produced this song. Roy’s piano drives the song and he has two powerful solos. Drummer Russ Kunkel provides a great beat. Waddy Wachtel’s guitar supports the song well. Craig Frost of The Silver Bullet Band adds colour to this tune with his organ. Bob is singing about a motorcycle trip in his state of Michigan. He sings powerfully as a rock singer.

Have You Ever Seen the Rain? - Bonnie Tyler (1983)

Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler covers a song by Creedence Clearwater Revival. The original only has a few piano notes in parts of the song. Bonnie’s version wonderfully changes the lead instrument from acoustic guitar to piano. Roy plays his signature heartland rock piano sound. Bonnie sings so intensely. She reinterprets a light country rock song into a heartland rocker that rocks way more than the original including its awesome electric guitar parts. There is an aggressive guitar solo.

The Valley Road - Bruce Hornsby & The Range (1988)

Bruce plays powerful improvisational piano playing. He brings a possible jazz influence into heartland rock. It’s creative how he brings his brand of piano playing into a mainstream rock hit. There is a guitar solo and two piano solos. Bruce sings soulfully. I like how he sings “walk on” expressively. This song has a fun feel of the late 80s time period.

England and America - Elton John (2016)

This song written by Elton John and his lyricist Bernie Taupin is paying tribute to England and America. England is Elton’s primary residence where he’s from and America is his second home where he lives part of the time. This song sounds different to the usual Elton John style. Elton displays his creativity in writing a heartland rock melody. He nails that genre’s piano sound. It’s rare to hear Elton rock out like this now. I love the 80s rock sound this song has. Elton’s band backs him well. I’d like to see Elton make a whole album in the heartland rock style.

More Yesterdays Than Tomorrows - Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers (2018)

The song opens with a piano riff which is repeated throughout the song. It soon becomes a powerful rocker driven by guitar and organ. During the guitar solo, the piano riff supports the solo well. There is a brief moment where most of the instruments stop and it’s led by the organ, similar to a section in the previous song with the piano. Joe sounds similar to Southside Johnny who I featured earlier. Joe’s singing about the importance of connecting with people.

This was my selection of ten heartland rock songs. I like the fact that heartland rock has a strong keyboard presence. These songs all feature piano and I can hear organ on six of them. It seems that one component of heartland rock is a mix of piano, organ and guitar. I love the melodies of all these tracks.

Ten Great Rock Songs Opening Albums

I decided to write an article about ten great rock songs that open albums. I wrote about a few of the songs with different text before in previous articles. In the headings, I mention the song and the artist followed by a colon with the album name. Let’s begin.

Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding by Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)

This is an epic progressive rock opener from Elton John’s most popular studio album. It opens with atmospheric effects and bells followed by David Hentschel’s synth playing. Elton’s piano then comes with the other instruments being subtle. Soon it goes into a full band sound with Davey Johnstone providing a guitar solo. David Hentschel’s synth parts add to the song. Funeral for a Friend is the instrumental part of the song and “Love Lies Bleeding” is the second half featuring Bernie Taupin lyrics sung by Elton. In “Love Lies Bleeding”, bassist Dee Murray’s part is noticeable. This song showcases Elton John’s strength as a rock artist as it rocks so hard.

Nothing but the Truth by Procol Harum: Exotic Birds and Fruit (1974)

Both this song and the previous one overlap as they are both by English artists from the same time period and Procol Harum are a progressive rock band. Lead singer and piano player Gary Brooker leads the song with his piano playing. His opening piano riff rocks great and comes back a few more times. The arrangement is expansive with a subtle orchestra included. This is a powerful catchy rock song with its incredible chorus.

Once or Twice by Chicago: Chicago X (1976)

This song goes in a different direction to the previous ones as this is jazz rock. It’s written and sung by original Chicago guitarist Terry Kath. The signature Chicago horns are a big part of the song including a saxophone solo. I like Robert Lamm’s rock and roll piano. It’s creative to feature that kind of piano playing in a jazz rock song. Terry provides a tough vocal which is suitably powerful.

Running on Empty by Jackson Browne: Running on Empty (1977)

This is the title track from Jackson Browne’s “Running on Empty” album of original songs recorded entirely on the road, with some of it recorded live such as this one. The song is led by the guitar and features the piano well. Pianist Craig Doerge’s notes are an important part of this song. David Lindley provides two incredible slide guitar solos. Jackson crafted a memorable melodic piece of heartland rock reflecting the US at that time.

Say You’ll Be Mine by Christopher Cross: Christopher Cross (1979)

This is from Christopher Cross’s self-titled debut album. Christopher sings with passion in his voice. Jay Graydon provides a guitar solo that’s both relaxing and rocking. I detect a possible jazz influence in Jay’s solo. Michael Omartian’s piano notes work well in the song. Nicolette Larson gives good backing vocals singing well with Christopher. This is an enjoyable form of yacht rock.

Running Man by Al Stewart: 24 Carrots (1980)

It opens with backing vocal singing, piano notes and other instruments including guitar. Following this section, there is the main piano riff which is soon doubled by guitar. This song has a good mix of piano and guitar. There is a latin sounding acoustic guitar solo. I like the percussion beat. Al Stewart brings his signature brand of soft rock.

I’ll Never Need Anyone More by Michael Stanley Band: Heartland (1980)

This song by the Michael Stanley Band is written and sung by Michael. It’s guitar driven and features good piano backing. There is a strong guitar solo in the middle. I like the fact that this song has three keyboards which are piano, organ and synth. The synth effects near the end are nice. I like this heartland rock sound.

Rosanna by Toto: Toto IV (1982)

This song opens with Jeff Porcaro’s epic drumming. The singing alternates between guitarist Steve Lukather and lead singer Bobby Kimball in the verses. I like the sound of the band singing together in the choruses. Steve Porcaro provides a synth solo followed by Steve Lukather’s guitar solo which contrasts well. David Paich who wrote the song provides a great piano part which holds the song together. I assume the organ part near the end is by David. It’s nice to hear jamming by David Paich and Steve Lukather in the final section.

Allentown by Billy Joel: The Nylon Curtain (1982)

This song is about the American town of Allentown, Pennsylvania. It opens with a train noise. Billy’s piano leads the song well with it being the most prominent in the verses. There are cool percussion and sound effects repeated throughout. The percussion is by drummer Liberty DeVitto and Billy seems to be doing the sound effects. This song shows Billy's strength in writing and singing a melodic rock song. It’s good how Billy stretches certain words he sings. There is a prominent rocking guitar part near the end.

Even Now by Bob Seger: The Distance (1982)

This is one of Bob Seger’s lesser known hits. It has an epic intro. This song is very melodic with incredible piano by Roy Bittan. Former Eagles guitarist Don Felder plays the guitar. Bob’s saxophonist Alto Reed provides good support. Bob gives incredible singing showcasing his vocal range. I love how he sings both the lead vocals and the backing vocals in the chorus. Bob ends with singing “Even Now” stretched out followed by guitar & piano parts and Craig Frost’s organ notes which close the track. This is my favourite Bob Seger song.

This was my selection of rock songs I like that open albums. I tried to feature a balance of popular and lesser known songs. Interestingly, I recently listened to Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and Jackson Browne’s “Running on Empty” albums from this article in 5.1 surround sound which sounded very good in that format.

Ten Great Capitol Records Songs

One of music’s successful record labels is Capitol Records. Capitol Records is an American record label which is now part of the Universal Music Group. I had written a similar article “Ten Great Universal Music Group Songs” where I included a few Capitol songs. I have been paying attention to Capitol Records since I started listening to Bob Seger’s music in 2010. Bob is of course featured in this article.

Up On Cripple Creek - The Band (1969)

This song is sung by drummer Levon Helm. Levon and The Band sing well together in the chorus with their backing vocals. Its opening is the drums with bits of guitar. This rock song is influenced by blues and country. As someone into keyboards, I love how this song has three keyboard parts (piano, clavinet & organ). The clavinet gives off quirky vibes. Robbie Robertson’s guitar plays a supportive part in the background and has a stronger presence in the last quarter of the song.

He Can’t Love You - Michael Stanley Band (1980)

Michael Stanley is an American rock singer who unfortunately passed away two years ago in March 2021. The Michael Stanley Band is a band he fronted. This is a catchy heartland rock song. It’s sung by keyboardist Kevin Raleigh. It has driving guitars with good piano backing. There is an organ in the background. It features saxophone from Bruce Springsteen’s saxophonist Clarence Clemons. I get Bob Seger vibes from this song with it reminding me of my favourite Bob Seger song “Even Now”.

Heartbreak Radio - Delbert McClinton (1981)

This song opens with a brief drum intro and it goes into electric guitars backed with piano. The piano is in the rock & roll style. There are horns in parts of the song bringing a soul influence. At the halfway point, there’s a saxophone solo with good piano accompaniment. It was originally recorded by Scottish singer Frankie Miller who co-wrote the song with songwriter Troy Seals.

If This Is It - Huey Lewis & The News (1983)

This is a fun pop rock song. It’s probably the first major hit song on this list. It opens with a drum intro and then Chris Hayes’ detailed guitar part comes in. The keyboards in the song are piano, organ and possible synths. The piano gives off a light rock & roll feel. The backing vocals in the chorus support Huey’s lead vocals well and give off a 50s vibe. Huey sings powerfully and melodically. Chris provides a fun charming guitar solo. The guitar solo plays again in the end alongside the last chorus and the concluding section as the song fades.

These Dreams - Heart (1985)

Heart is led by two sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. This song was written by Martin Page (music) and Bernie Taupin (lyrics). Bernie Taupin is Elton John’s lyricist. Ann usually sings their songs, but this song is sung by Nancy. This is a synth driven soft rock song. The synths offer a gentle reflection of dreams. I get South American vibes in the chorus from one of the synth parts. Interestingly, Johnny Colla, a member of the previous song’s band, sings backing vocals on this track.

Don’t Mean Nothing - Richard Marx (1987)

This is a pure fun rock song. It opens with drumming followed by guitars and the whole band joins in. Michael Omartian plays piano. Richard sings powerfully. Three members of The Eagles are on this song who are Joe Walsh on guitar and Randy Meisner & Timothy B. Schmit on backing vocals. Joe gives a powerful guitar solo with good accompaniment from Michael’s piano. The organ has a supportive part. There is a good instrumental section led by the piano at the end.

Is Love Enough - The Doobie Brothers (1991)

This song was written by Walt Richmond & Jerry Lyn Williams. Interestingly, Walt co-wrote & played piano on the Bob Seger song “She Can’t Do Anything Wrong” that same year which I featured in my article on Bob Seger piano songs and Jerry had written the Eric Clapton song “Running on Faith” that I featured in my article on piano rock songs. This song features a mix of piano and synths. The synths seem to be emulating horn sounds. It’s sung by original lead singer Tom Johnston. Tom sings in an expressive and melodic way. There’s an organ which has a good subtle presence. At about the three-quarter mark, there’s a dark intense blues rock guitar solo. The guitar does more playing in the last section of the song.

Beautiful In My Eyes - Joshua Kadison (1993)

We’re now changing to something soft. This song has a gentle warm sound. Joshua sings soulfully and plays the piano powerfully. It opens with Joshua’s singing and piano playing with subtle organ. There is slight drumming close to the one minute mark and the full band comes in. This song seems like a song on Elton John’s wonderful 1989 “Sleeping With The Past” album such as “Amazes Me”. There is an orchestra and a powerful gospel sounding choir. This is a very melodic song. Next month will be the 30th anniversary of Joshua’s debut album “Painted Desert Serenade” this song comes from.

Manhattan - Bob Seger (1995)

The song opens with Manhattan traffic. Harry Stinson’s drums come in with the traffic before other instruments join in. There is an intense guitar part and a dark piano part. Roy Bittan gives great rock piano playing. The mix of piano and guitars work well. Bob sing-speaks this song. There is a synth undercurrent throughout the song. This song is an example of an epic long Bob Seger song. The song closes with sounds of Manhattan traffic like how it opens.

Can’t Stay Alone Tonight - Elton John (2013)

Capitol Records was the US label of Elton John’s 2013 Mercury Records album “The Diving Board”. I’m not in the US, but had to include this as I’m an Elton John fan. This is a melodic country ballad Elton John wrote the melody to lyrics by his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin. This song has no guitar with it driven by Elton’s piano. The slight keyboards give a nice whistling effect. Though this isn’t in Elton’s usual style, the song sounds positively and uniquely Elton with his singing, piano playing and melody. The bridge brings in a good melodic change.

This is my personal selection of Capitol Records songs covering a 44 year period. They showcase music that really rocks as well as gentle ballads. The artists featured range from major stars, well-known names and those with a degree of success but may not be widely known. It’s fitting that we opened with The Band and concluded with Elton John as The Band are one of Elton’s major influences.