It?s not often you hear someone as accomplished as John Waite speak with awe about another artist.
But Waite ? known for his work with The Babys and Bad English ? does so when speaking about Alison Krauss. Waite?s admiration for the renowned bluegrass-country singer, who has almost 20 Grammy Awards to her credit, prompted him to approach her about a duet.
“She is my favorite female singer. Of all the people that I listen to, I take her the most seriously,” said Waite in Minneapolis, where he saw Krauss perform. “You can?t qualify that kind of talent. … She made me have faith in a lot of things, including myself.”
Waite candidly spoke of the discontent he felt when record executives molded his sound when he went solo. After succumbing to the reshaping, Waite found it difficult to regain his footing.
“I called her,” he said. “Talking with her, working with her changed everything. It was like being given a drink of water in the middle of a desert.”
For her part, Krauss said she was eager to partner with Waite.
“I?ve always loved all different kinds of music, and he?s such an incredible singer,” Krauss told the Herald of Everett, Wash. “… I have many records of his.”
Waite?s music now steps away from traditional rock toward blues and country, including his “Missing You” duet with Krauss. Yet despite his newfound success with the sound, some naysayers long for more Waite rock.
“I am the same man writing the music,” he said. “I haven?t changed directions to suit anyone except me. Being raise in England, we were all raised on blues and country. That?s still a part of who I am.”
If you go
John Waite
» Venue: Rams Head On Stage, 33 West St., Annapolis
» Time: 8 p.m. Thursday
» Tickets: $33.50
» Information: www.ramsheadonstage.com; 410-268-4545
