Country music is experiencing a bit of a mainstream renaissance right now. Morgan Wallen is arguably the hottest name in the game not named Taylor Swift. Luke Combs (that “Fast Car” duet with Tracy Chapman at the Grammys, wow) is staking his claim as the modern-day George Strait, a sweet-voiced, good-natured guy who cranks out hit after hit. Zach Bryan has gone from uploading songs on YouTube to selling out football stadiums across the country.
As of this writing, Beyonce (you’re likely familiar) has the No. 1 country song in America. When Beyonce tackles your genre, you’re officially on a heater.
Which brings us to Hardy, who headlines Rodeo Houston on Saturday. To put Hardy up with the likes of Wallen, Combs, Bryan and (obviously) Beyonce would be ambitious, but to say he’s flying under the radar would be a drastic understatement.
Of course, to lump Hardy in with country music in general might be unwise altogether. Sure, one would think a guy whose biggest hits include titles like “Rednecker, “Truck Bed,” and (fittingly) “Unapologetically Country as Hell” fit safely within the genre, and in many ways, Hardy does just that.
Dude is from Mississippi. He’s opened for Jason Aldean and the aforementioned Wallen. He’s written songs for Blake Shelton and Florida Georgia Line. He sings liberally of late nights, whiskey hangovers and tailgates. In these respects, Hardy is very much a respected and successful country artist.
But in other ways, Hardy is very much not a country artist. He’s more akin to a modern-day Kid Rock, an American-flag waving, tattooed, beer-swilling, rock- and rap-infused badass who appeals to a wide swath of music fans. The two are even karaoke pals!
Take Hardy’s last three singles, for instance. “Sold Out” is a flat-out rock song. “Quit” samples hip-hop and nu metal. And “Rockstar” speaks for itself. Hell, in addition to two studio albums, Hardy has recorded a series of mix tapes, aptly titled Hixtapes (Volumes 1-3), which cover the late Joe Diffie and feature Post Malone.
Yeah, Hardy is not a guy who likes labels, nor is he one to shy away from his rock influences.
Look no further than his recent Apple Music Sessions and an absolutely stellar cover of Stone Temple Pilots’ best single, “Big Empty.” This is not a mailed-in, cash-grab cover. Hardy and his bandmates put their all into it, so much so that one can’t help but hope for a few more just like it down the road (“Black Hole Sun” or “Alive,” anyone?).
Will Hardy lean more into his country roots when he headlines what is sure to be a sold-out and lively show on Saturday? One would think, and that kinda makes sense. It is the Rodeo, after all. But here’s hoping Hardy finds time in his set to infuse a little something beyond country music.
It’s what he’s best at.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
