Peter Salett

by Evan Cater
Peter Salett's gift for blending memorable pop melodies with an accessibly experimental hodgepodge of rock, folk, soul and country made him a standout performer in the crowded New York City club scene. He made his name by making regular appearances at clubs like Irving Plaza, Tramps, the Bowery Ballroom, Fez and Mercury Lounge. Those performances, and his self-produced 1997 debut, Paintings of These Days, caught the attention of the film industry and soon Salett's music began appearing on the soundtracks of movies like Hurricane Streets, Other Voices and Academy Award nominated actor Edward Norton's hit directorial debut, Keeping the Faith. The latter included two Salett songs, including a prominently featured T-Bone Burnett remix of the title track from Salett's second independent release, Heart of Mine. The song was released by Hollywood Records as the single from the soundtrack, opening Salett's music to a wider audience than it had previously enjoyed.