Chad Elliott was inducted into the Iowa Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame Sunday, Aug. 31, during a ceremony held at the Sami Center in Okoboji.
“It felt so good to be in a room that celebrated everything I’ve worked for in my career,” Elliott said.
Following the induction, Elliott performed on stage with the Class of 2025 as part of the Iowa Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame Induction Concert held at the Roof Garden in Arnolds Park. (He is pictured backstage at that concert / Contributed photo)
“It is quite an honor to have my name mentioned among such great artists who have inspired me for years,” Elliott said.
Iowa songwriter Chad Elliott blends folk roots, rock, swampy blues and soulful writing to deliver music that is unmistakably original. His live performances have been honed over more than 25 years on the road performing nationwide. He has penned more than 2,000 songs in his career and released 26 albums.
“It seems crazy that so many years and miles have passed since I began. I have always pushed myself to become a better writer and performer. I love what I do. I think that is why it feels like it was just yesterday that I was putting a pen to the page and plucking out my first song,” Elliott said.
Elliott has worked with many of the best musicians and shared the stage with artists of the highest caliber in many genres, including Jimmie Vaughan, Survivor, Counting Crows, Eric Church, Lonestar, Odetta, Tom Paxton, Loudon Wainwright III, R.L. Burnside, Greg Brown, Ruthie Foster, Verlon Thompson, Bo Ramsey and Mary Gauthier.
“I have learned from the best throughout the years. I have watched how my favorite artists carried themselves on and off the stage. Every artist, eventually, learns what kind of performer they want to be. I’ve been fortunate to have crossed paths with some phenomenal teachers,” Elliott said. With 26 albums under his belt, Elliott’s writing is highly respected among his peers and fellow songwriters. His songs have won multiple awards such as the Woody Guthrie Song Contest, the Kerrville NewFolk contest, 3rd Place in the International Songwriting Competition and an International Blues Challenge Semi-finalist, among others. Now, he can add Iowa Rock ‘n Roll Class of 2025 to his list of achievements.
“I am very honored and proud to be an Iowa musician. To have that recognized by the Iowa Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame is very humbling. Somedays I feel like I’m still just getting started on this path. This induction has caused me to stop and reflect on what an amazing ride my musical path has been,” Elliott said.
Elliott is a fulltime musician to this day. He tours solo and with a duo called Weary Ramblers. Plus, he operates Elliott Art Studio in Jefferson, where he creates and sells art.
“This career has taught me so much about myself. Touring and performing does that. It exposes your weaknesses and, more importantly, your strengths. It’s a continuous grind of loading gear, driving hundreds of miles, only to load your gear back up and drive home again with ears ringing. Along the way, you may get lucky and catch a new song which compels you to do it all over again. As exhausting as this process can be after nearly thirty years, I still feel like I have a lot of gas in my tank,” Elliott said.
To learn more about Chad Elliott, visit www.chadelliott.net. Click here for a list of his albums and a complete discography
