Bruce Randall Hornsby (born November 23, 1954 in Williamsburg, Virginia) is an American singer, virtuoso pianist, accordion player, and songwriter. He is probably best known for his 1980s signature song "The Way It Is" and the top five hits "Mandolin Rain," and "The Valley Road", all recorded as Bruce Hornsby & The Range, and for his long association with the Grateful Dead. In some of his solo albums (from 1993) he moved in a less commercial, more musically-challenging direction. From 2000 he recorded albums a series of albums as Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers. In 1984 Hornsby formed Bruce Hornsby & the Range, who were signed to RCA Records in 1985.