It’s a cool spring night. Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt are visiting. They fish out their guitars and kick back on the porch.
That’s how it felt Tuesday night at the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown. For nearly two-and-a-half hours Lovett, 57, and Hiatt, 62, traded superbly crafted songs punctuated with droll observations.
Casual. Unrushed. With just enough good ol’boy can-you-top-this? to keep things amusing.
They did not accompany each other too often. But when they did, it was magical. Their distinctive, well worn voices blended surprisingly well on a rambunctious version of Hiatt’s Thing Called Love.
On Lovett’s encore of My Baby Don’t Tolerate, Hiatt contributed a mischievous extended guitar solo consisting of a single note, bent every which way.
After Hiatt muscled his way through Have A Little Faith, Lovett marveled: “Sitting close to you, and hearing that song, life doesn’t get any better.”
Pause.
“It’s sobering when you figure out…it’s not going to get any better,” Lovett deadpanned.
Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt on a 1,300-seat porch? Life is good.
Photos by Kevin Coughlin
