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Singer-songwriter HARDY
Credit: Ryan Smith
It’s been a fast-paced and intense few months since Michael Hardy, who goes by his professional name HARDY, released an album. Mockingbird and The Crow.
The 17-track album, featuring both country and rock songs, all written or co-written by him, quickly topped seven different Billboard charts, including Top Album Sales, Top Country Albums, and Top Rock Albums. I jumped into
After the album’s release in late January, HARDY said, “It’s far exceeded any expectations we’ve ever had.” Thing.”
He went on to thank both country and rock radio and the fans for their strong support.
This is the second album for HARDY, who made a name for himself as a mega-hit songwriter in Nashville before signing his own record deal. To date, he has co-written 12 country number one hits, including Blake Shelton’s ‘God’s Country’ and Deeks Bentley and his BRELAND collaboration ‘Beers On Me’. HARDY also wrote his own No. 1 song, “One Beer,” which he recorded with Lauren Alaina and Devin Dawson.
HARDY has continued success in one way or another. Last week, he was named “Songwriter of the Year” and “Artist Writer of the Year” by the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP). And earlier this month, he and Rainie Wilson won CMT’s Collaborative Video of the Year award for his duet on his song “Wait in the Truck.”
HARDY not only co-wrote the song, which delves into domestic violence and a man’s decision to take justice into his own hands, but also created the concept for the video. He’s very proud of both of what he shared with his audience when accepting the award.
“I remember the day Jordan Schmidt, who I wrote a song with, sent me a demo,” he told the audience. I wrote the entire script for the music video because I knew how powerful it was.”
Since signing a record deal in 2018, HARDY has carved out a unique path in music. (He has the full support of his records his label BIG LOUD).
Although he has a long track record of writing country radio hits, HARDY grew up with a deep love for rock and roll. So, in recording his latest album, he decided to do something not normally done in music. It’s about recording an album that’s half country and half rock.
immediately after the release of Mockingbird & THE CROW, he headed to Los Angeles for two shows. The first time, I performed a country song at one venue, and then sang a rock song at another venue.
“It was amazing!” he recalls. “We played the country side at the Troubadour and the rock side at the Roxy. As for the rock side, people there already knew a lot of the lyrics to the songs. Not much, because it’s closer to a heavier songwriter’s record with a lot of deeper stuff in it, but it was also very well received.”
What makes HARDY’s music so unique is his outstanding lyrics for every song he writes, whatever the musical style. To truly appreciate his songwriting talent, you have to truly “hear” each song, not just hear his music.
HARDY grew up in Philadelphia, Mississippi. By the way, the country is also the birthplace of artist Marty He Stuart. Although he did not know Stuart at the time, he had some influence on Stuart’s music and success.
“That’s a big part of why I’m here, but unintentionally. It was the heyday of my childhood when Marty was having radio success. Fila, in fact.” There was another short-lived band in Delphia called Pearl River, which included Derek George, one of the city’s biggest songwriters, but when Marty did it, he We have proven that it is possible.”
But HARDY didn’t grow up listening to much country music. His focus was rock music.
“I owe everything to my family, especially my father, for introducing me to rock and roll. I’m grateful that I got to experience the end of the impossibility, and I had a rewarding moment listening to it on the radio, on MTV, etc.
His appreciation of country music came much later.
“I have lived and absorbed the rural lifestyle, so I talk about it and write songs about it. Whatever you call it, that’s where my lyrics come from.But halfway through the career of Eric Church or Brad Paisley, I began to fall in love with the art and craft of songwriting.”
After high school, HARDY attended East Central Community College in Mississippi and then graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in commercial songwriting.
“When I moved to Nashville, I had three songs with my name on them,” he says. “And there was this thing called ‘Caroline’ when I was playing songs for his mates in Mississippi. They promoted it a lot and played it at parties. Hearing me say, “This is good, this is amazing,” gave me a lot of confidence. If my friends hadn’t excited me, I probably wouldn’t have moved. ”
Once he made it to Nashville and started to find success as a songwriter, he had no problem writing songs for other people and continuing to do so. However, he soon began to be encouraged to become an artist himself.
Singer-songwriter HARDY
Credit: Tanner Gallagher
“Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line, Seth England (CEO of Big Loud Records), and even Morgan Wallen, a lot of people overheard me and said, ‘Hey, your demos are great, you’re doing an artist thing. You should’.’ And I was like, man, I’m not doing it all.
Until one day England called him to his office in Big Loud for a “chat”.
“I go there,” says Hardy. And they said, “We’re offering you a record deal.” I was still insecure, so I was like God. I had no idea what it entailed. I was very happy with the way my life was progressing. ”
He didn’t say yes right away, but instead took time to think.
“In short, I thought about it and decided I didn’t want to go 30 years ahead.
I’m here.
Four and a half years later, HARDY is on track to release a brand new album unlike any other currently on the charts. His country half of the record includes songs like “Beer,” “Red,” “Wait in the Truck,” and “Here Lies Country Music.” The rock side is “SOLD OUT”, “RADIO SONG”, “TRUCK BED” and so on.
Hardy’s new album “Mockingbird & The Crow”
Courtesy of Big Loud Records
“That’s a lot of ideas I had for a very long time and didn’t know how to write yet. But I got the right people and I was in the right mood and we got it done.” I’m really proud of all the perspectives.
HARDY plans to continue writing and performing in both rock and country, with the ultimate goal of releasing albums in both genres.
“I want to put out a full-length rock record, a full-length country record, and eventually play country for an hour, take a break, and then play rock for an hour. I am thinking.”
But for now, he’s focused on playing a collection of songs from this album at sold-out shows across the country. We just announced the next leg of our Line Arena tour.
HARDY’s autumn tour schedule
Courtesy of Big Loud Records
HARDY says it’s been a crazy ride so far and he’s enjoying it a lot.
And a lot of it has to do with being a good wife, good parents, a really good crew on tour, and my record label. I feel spoiled, but I don’t have that kind of talk, I have a lot of good people around me and it makes me feel relaxed and enjoying the ride. It’s flickn awesome!
Follow me please twitter. check out Here some of my other works.
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