That’s Hardy Looking for Arrowheads

Summary

Podcast Summary: On the Bus with Troy Vollhoffer – Episode: “That’s Hardy Looking for Arrowheads”

Introduction

In the May 29, 2025 episode of On the Bus with Troy Vollhoffer, host Troy Vollhoffer sits down for an engaging conversation with Hardy, the multi-platinum country artist known for hits like “One Beer” and “Truck Bed.” As the founder of the Country Thunder Music Festival, Troy provides listeners with an insider’s view of the music industry, and this episode delves deep into Hardy's illustrious career, his evolution as an artist, the supportive Nashville songwriting community, and his personal passion for archaeology.

Career Highlights and Evolution

The episode opens with Troy expressing his excitement about featuring Hardy, highlighting his significant achievements, including 60 number-one hits and notable accolades at the CMAs for his duet with Lanny Wilson on “Wait in the Truck” which won Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year.

Hardy reminisces about his first podcast appearance during the early stages of his career:

“[...] we didn’t have so much to talk about because his career was very early in his career [...]” (00:25)

Troy and Hardy discuss the rapid progression of Hardy's career over the years. Hardy reflects on feeling like he’s entering his "sophomore, junior year of school," noting the emergence of a new generation of artists while he himself gains more experience.

Hardy shares his observations on the evolving music scene:

“I’m already seeing this. The second guard, like the new guard [...] Who’s going to be the cat? Who's going to be one of these 10 or 15 artists that are about to [...]” (02:21)

Embracing Musical Diversity

A significant portion of the conversation centers on Hardy’s musical versatility, particularly his seamless transition between country and rock genres. Troy commends Hardy for his ability to perform diverse styles live, which has been well-received by audiences.

Hardy explains the inspiration behind his shift towards rock music:

“Songs like Boots and Sold Out and some of the songs that were, like, really teetering into the rock world [...] Sold out blows it out of the water live [...]” (04:10)

He discusses the pivotal moment when his live performances of rock-infused songs received overwhelming positive reactions, encouraging him to fully explore this genre in his album “Mockingbird and the Crow.”

Hardy reflects on maintaining authenticity despite musical shifts:

“I have been so inconsistent even from the beginning, that my fans are just like, you know what I mean? [...] It works because it's just me.” (05:37)

The Nashville Songwriter Community

Troy and Hardy delve into the unique and supportive nature of the Nashville songwriting scene. Hardy emphasizes the non-competitive, collaborative environment that fosters creativity and mutual support among songwriters.

Hardy passionately describes the Nashville songwriting culture:

“The culture of being a Nashville songwriter is so different, and it's also so supportive and like, it really tries not to be competitive and dog eat dog or anything like that. [...] the Nashville songwriter scene is like the coolest shit ever.” (00:07)

They discuss the vital role of songwriters in the industry, highlighting the disparity between the earnings from streaming versus traditional radio play. Hardy advocates for better compensation for songwriters, stressing the importance of rewarding creativity beyond hit singles.

Hardy voices his concerns about songwriter compensation:

“I think labels should start shelving out points for album cuts for artists like Morgan who can have [...] make 250 grand because it was on.” (07:02)

The Songwriters Tent and Industry Insights

Troy introduces the concept of the Songwriters Tent at Country Thunder, an initiative to spotlight and support emerging songwriters. He acknowledges the contributions of industry veterans like Jimmy the Jet, who mentor the next generation.

Hardy shares his admiration for industry peers:

“I have known Jim for a really long time [...] I love Jim, man.” (10:02)

They discuss the growing recognition of songwriters, likening their anonymity in Nashville to famous artists elsewhere. Hardy highlights the importance of songwriters in shaping the music we love, often remaining unsung heroes behind the scenes.

Hardy illustrates the hidden talent in songwriting:

“There's such a culture and there's such a cool thing to these guys that just look like dudes [...] But you would never know that they wrote like Craig Wiseman.” (11:22)

Hardy’s Journey as an Artist and Collaborations

The conversation shifts to Hardy's journey from songwriter to performing artist, detailing his collaboration with producers like Joey Moi. Hardy credits Joey for pushing him to harness his potential and shape his musical identity.

Hardy discusses his first tour experience and breakout moments:

“My first time ever on a moving tour bus was Nashville to Hartford [...] I did, yeah.” (15:42)

He recounts opening for FGL’s legendary tour, where songs he wrote like “Up Down” achieved number-one status, solidifying his place in the industry.

Hardy acknowledges the impact of influential producers:

“He [Joey Moi] could be tough [...] I wouldn't have it any other way.” (18:01)

Personal Passions: Archaeology

Beyond music, Hardy shares his passion for archaeology, a hobby that connects him to history and his hometown roots. He narrates how a friendship in college led him to discover a fascination with finding arrowheads on his family’s land.

Hardy recounts how he got hooked on archaeology:

“Within 10 minutes, we found one. And the next morning, we go back, and we found another, and then another.” (21:01)

This segment highlights Hardy’s appreciation for uncovering untold stories and the parallels between his musical journey and his archaeological pursuits.

Conclusion

As the episode wraps up, Troy and Hardy reminisce about their longstanding friendship, touching upon personal anecdotes like their wedding and mutual respect. Troy praises Hardy as a songwriter poised for the Songwriters Hall of Fame and commends his dynamic live performances.

Troy concludes with high praise for Hardy:

“He’s a special guy. He's a special talent, and we just really want to thank him for coming out today.” (23:30)

Listeners are encouraged to follow Hardy’s upcoming world tour and stay connected with Country Thunder’s platforms for future episodes and festival updates.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Hardy (00:07): “The Nashville songwriter scene is like the coolest shit ever. I love it.”
• Troy (05:04): “The lines that are no longer there anymore... and you can do that live and just make that transition like that. And the crowd eats it up.”
• Hardy (09:15): “You should be able to make a living being a songwriter with two hits. [...] it doesn't pay songwriters six figures is like ridiculous.”
• Hardy (13:55): “It's just a. The. This. The Nashville songwriter scene is like the coolest shit ever. I love it.”
• Hardy (22:53): “It's just that whole process of, like, I was the first guy to find this. No telling what happened to it and how I got there...”

Final Thoughts

This episode of On the Bus with Troy Vollhoffer offers a comprehensive look into Hardy’s multifaceted career and personal interests. Through candid discussions and insightful anecdotes, listeners gain a deeper appreciation for Hardy’s contributions to country music, his dedication to songwriting, and the supportive community that nurtures his creative endeavors.

For more information on Hardy’s tour dates, visit hardyofficial.com, and stay updated with Country Thunder’s latest news by following their social platforms.

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Note: This summary is intended for those who haven’t listened to the episode and aims to provide a clear and concise overview of the key discussions and insights shared by Troy and Hardy.

Transcript

[Hardy]

This is. The culture of being a Nashville songwriter is so different, and it's also so supportive and like, it really tries not to be competitive and dog eat dog or anything like that. It's just a. To me, the Nashville songwriter scene is like the coolest shit ever. I love it.

[Troy Volhofer]

Welcome back to on the Bus with Troy Volhofer. I'm very excited for today's show. We're joined by a man who goes by just one name, but a 60 number one hits to that name. Hardy. You know his hits like one beer and truck bed in 2023. His incredible duet with Lanny Wilson on Wait in the Truck earned Hardy some hardware at the CMAs where he won or they won musical event of the year and music video of the year. He's a very busy man this year with an international tour that runs through September, and his first tour date is right here at Country Thunder. Today. Join me in welcoming multi platinum artist and recent dad, Hardy. Hey, thanks for doing this. It was so funny. First time Michael and I ever did a podcast, it was over Covid and Hardy's career was just starting off, and Hardy and I sit down and we have this conversation, and it was like we didn't have so much to talk about because his career was very early in his career, and. And I just started doing podcasts, so I didn't even know how to really carry the tune at that time. So Michael's leaving my house and my daughter knows Michael, and it's like, hey, that was really quick, dude. Like, what went on there? And. And that's when we got the. And this is our. We're revisiting right now.

[Hardy]

This.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah, dude, this is our second go, which was a lot more to talk about now, man.

[Hardy]

It's crazy. I feel like time has flown. It was like yesterday a little bit.

[Troy Volhofer]

Isn't it crazy? Like, I remember buying you for $5,000. No shit.

[Hardy]

That's awesome, dude.

[Troy Volhofer]

It's pretty cool, right?

[Hardy]

Yeah, it was cool for me too. That was awesome.

[Troy Volhofer]

Check this one out. Talk about a missed bill of being held out and not really thinking about it, right? Neil McCoy as a headliner on a B stage on an opening like we used to only do, like Thursdays was a soft opening, and then Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

[Hardy]

Okay.

[Troy Volhofer]

Neil McCoy direct support, Eric Church.

[Hardy]

No way. What year? Early 2000s.

[Troy Volhofer]

Oh, early 2000s.

[Hardy]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

Way early 2000s. Right after he got his deal.

[Hardy]

That's crazy.

[Troy Volhofer]

Right after you guys deal.

[Hardy]

It's so funny, man. I see. It's. I. I still. I feel like I'M still just like new, but I'm. I guess I'm kind of like, not now. And I can. I'm already seeing this. The. The. The second guard, like the new guard, like, I can see it already. And it's crazy to me. And I'm like, who is going to be the cat? Who's going to be of these, you know, 10 or 15 artists that are about to, you know, the ones that are starting to be on the radio and all the stuff and doing well, touring, like, who in two or three more years is going to be, like, headline one of these things? It's always you. And sometimes like, you know, and sometimes you just don't know.

[Troy Volhofer]

I did this NHL thing in St. Louis. I did it this year and I did it last year. And it's like a. A puck cancer thing. Event, right? FundRaiser with all NHL guys and Dirk's plays in it.

[Hardy]

Okay.

[Troy Volhofer]

And Trevor from Old Dominion, they're having this. We just bullshitting, having a beer together. And Dirk goes, yeah, man. I start talking about Ax. He's like, man, now we're going to start opening for these guys. Like going from headliner to like direct support situations. I don't think you're there yet, man.

[Hardy]

But I mean, I mean, D is never going to be there.

[Troy Volhofer]

Come on, look, he should never be there. He's amazing.

[Hardy]

I've thought about this a lot recently because although I. I do still feel like my career is just starting again, like seeing the new people come in. And I'm like, man, it's the first time this year, really is the first time that I'm like, oh, I'm entering into like sophomore, junior year of school. It's like. It's crazy, right? I feel. Because I've just have felt like the kid. Or like me and Morgan and Earn and whoever, all Laney, all our tight crew of people who were like the new. The new guard. And now we're kind of a little bit seasoned for the first time. And we're seeing the Gavin Adcox and Ella Langley and just Zach Top, who's you know, on fire. And it's like the moment you wake up and you're. You ache and you realize you're starting to get old for the first time. You know, your hangover lasts two days or some shit like that.

[Troy Volhofer]

But you know, the cool part about it is like watching an artist grow. Like, I watched you grow. I saw you change direction and musically change direction. That I thought was so freaking cool. I mean, that's a big chance. Let's Talk about that for a second, right? I mean, you go from, like, writing great country songs to having this moment where, all right, I'm gonna do my thing that. That, you know, really empowers me. Tell me how that went down. Tell me what your thoughts were. How did that come to be?

[Hardy]

Dude, I just. I mean, I've always had it in. In me, you know, And I think it just took a little time. Early on. Songs like Boots and Sold out and some of the songs that were, like, really teetering into the rock world, the biggest thing was they would go over so well live. Like, those were the songs, like, One Beer Great was the number one. It has all these streams, but, like, Sold out blows it out of the water live. Like, it reacts so much better live. That really gave me the courage to really dive into the whole. The whole rock thing with really. With Mockingbird and the Crow was the first attempt at that Great record. Thank you very much. I love it, man. I still think that to this day. Of all the things I do, I hope that I have some that blow it out of the water, you know, as far as sales and stuff. But that's such a cornerstone defining who I am record for me, that I just. I hope it lives forever.

[Troy Volhofer]

The lines that are no longer there anymore. Like, I mean, you do a rock and roll record that was verging on the. A metal record, and you come back into a country team. I mean, and you can do that live and just make that transition like that. And the crowd eats it up. It never used to be like that.

[Hardy]

I mean, I just think that I have been so inconsistent even from the beginning, that my fans are just like, you know what I mean? Like, we could go straight from a fucking middle. We're going to do it tonight, right? Straight from something insane, straight. Straight into, like, a country song. And it just. It works because it's just me. And, like, I just have always had. Just been all over the place and it works. But I. I do think that, man, to. You know, Barbara Mandrell, I was country when country wasn't cool.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah, man.

[Hardy]

I have never felt more in tune with that sentence than in the last, like, four or five years with, like, the biggest pop stars in the world when wanting to make country records and. And it just feels good to be like, yeah, come on over. We've been here for a while.

[Troy Volhofer]

We've been here for a while.

[Hardy]

Yeah, it feels really cool, man. I mean, everybody now, dude, even Lana Del Rey, I think, announced that she's doing one chapel Ron Obviously post Malone Beyonce. I mean so many people are wanting to do a country record.

[Troy Volhofer]

You know, the beautiful thing about it is it only helps country music in a whole. Right, Sure. I mean from what I understand it's the first fastest growing format of any genre of music. Which is obviously because it's. Now the lines are gone and yeah. I'm just curious to see what country music radio looks like, you know, in another three years or does it even exist in three years.

[Hardy]

Oh, I got to be careful commenting on that.

[Troy Volhofer]

But you don't have to comment. I'm commenting because the streaming is so strong. Right. It's.

[Hardy]

It's crazy.

[Troy Volhofer]

That's where it's at.

[Hardy]

I'll give you a great example. I, me, myself and two of my other writers co wrote I'm a Little Crazy, which is a song that Morgan just put out.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah.

[Hardy]

To think that like it's. It's tough that these like that we won't really make a lot of money. And if that song were just on the radio.

[Troy Volhofer]

Right.

[Hardy]

It would make these guys a life changing amount of money and like a lot of money. Yeah. And it's just I think that a lot of things, I mean God will get in the weeds on this but I personally think that labels should start shelving out points for. For album cuts for artists like Morgan who can have. Who's actually selling like Garth was back. Like sure. Actual where people could get a last song on the album. Two minute, you know, song and it make 250 grand because it was on.

[Troy Volhofer]

A record that sold life changing money for. For a young song. Right?

[Hardy]

Absolutely right. Yeah. I mean surely to God these people have great lawyers and they go restructuring their deal every few years, you know when they have a big record and stuff like that. But yeah, to think about, to compare like Alanis Morissette, you know.

[Troy Volhofer]

Exactly.

[Hardy]

To a Chapel Ron or somebody have a. Somewhat of a similar thing these days who are. Are kind of putting up the same numbers when it comes to outreach and things like that and, and probably the difference in money that like somebody in the 90s or whenever made, you know, to post Internet.

[Troy Volhofer]

Absolutely.

[Hardy]

I don't even want to know. It'll make me sick, dude.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah, it probably would. And I mean that's why you know, touring was. It would take him a year to make a record.

[Hardy]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

And the label paid for it because there was so much excess of money in the business.

[Hardy]

Dude. They were flying people private on radio tours and stuff. Even in country. I have buddies that had, you know, old songwriter Guys and stuff that are like, yeah, we had a deal in the 90s and they. Sony would just fly me around on PJ all day and just fly from here, there and everywhere, just on radio tour. The money was just insane. But the money's. I feel like labels are making a lot of money again now because of streams.

[Troy Volhofer]

Oh, they're doing great business.

[Hardy]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

So maybe there's a reshuffle there in negotiation. There has to be, because, I mean, the artist has to have the lion's share. I mean, I get it that. That the label needs to be solid and be able to make a profit, you know? Yeah. But so does the artist. So is that kid who said the songwriting tent right now, who's going to write your next single with you or whoever he's going to work with. You know, they need to be rewarded properly.

[Hardy]

I agree.

[Troy Volhofer]

Should be able to. You should be able to make a living being a songwriter with two hits.

[Hardy]

I agree.

[Troy Volhofer]

And I don't think you can right now.

[Hardy]

There's way too much money being made for songwriters to not do something. I think it's. I think it's ridiculous. I think that's the biggest chip on my shoulder of the past couple years is just seeing how much money a song can make. But just because it's not a single on the radio.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah.

[Hardy]

You know, that's the only reason. It doesn't make. You know, it doesn't. It doesn't pay songwriters six figures is like ridiculous. Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

I don't know if you know this, but we haven't caught up in a while, but. So we implemented the songwriters tent and we've been expanding it. Expanding it. It's one of the most. Most visited attractions we have on the grounds. Right.

[Hardy]

Awesome.

[Troy Volhofer]

And we got some key great songwriters and they change every day. I don't know who's here today. I'm not sure. But Landers is the guy, the master behind it, Right. Jimmy the Jet. It's Jimmy the Jets.

[Hardy]

It's awesome, dude. I have known him since before I literally had a pot to piss in. Dude. I have known Jim for a really long time and he's. He's a.

[Troy Volhofer]

So who we're talking about is we both share the same stock broker, money manager guy. And he's a great guy, but he's also an ex musician.

[Hardy]

Yeah, he's old drummer dude.

[Troy Volhofer]

I don't know if drummers are even musicians, but I mean, he was.

[Hardy]

Jim is one of those guys that, like, his thing is money and that's what that. That is. That is his job. But he loves music. Typically. You know, of course in Nashville you might find this a little more often, but like, those are two things that you wouldn't think would be a common thing, you know. But man, I have spent more nights out in midtown way back in the day. Now this is, you know, 10, 10.

[Troy Volhofer]

Or 12 years pre marriage.

[Hardy]

He bought me beers when I had negative money in my bank account. I mean, truly. So, yeah, I love Jim, man, but.

[Troy Volhofer]

He'S that guy, man. I watch him, you know, work with these songwriters. I mean, we got some heavy hitters and they're great. But I guess what I'm trying to make a point into, Michael, is that they. The. The writer thing is starting to really catch on with the public, which. Which I don't think was the case previous in the last 10 years.

[Hardy]

People like a super fan to really like dig into that kind of percent. Yeah, yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

Everyone thought Tim McGr wrote the song. Well, Tim McGr never wrote a song.

[Hardy]

Yes.

[Troy Volhofer]

Picked great songs.

[Hardy]

Never wrote 100%. I think that's really cool. I didn't know that. I didn't know that that was really being like popularized. But yeah, I mean it's. There's such a culture and there's such a cool thing to these guys that just look like dudes and you'd see them at the grocery store and you would have no idea that they wrote like Craig Wiseman.

[Troy Volhofer]

Oh yeah.

[Hardy]

You know, just a dude in a Hawaiian shirt at the grocery store that wrote live like you were dying. Plus 40 others. But like you just. That you would never know. And there's. There's such a cool thing, especially with Nashville. I feel like in la, you know, like even the songwriters are like an artist themselves and there's a big personality and they have a following and people know who in Nashville, man, it could just be Joe Blow dude. And he's just like literally walking down the street and nobody, unless you're connected in the industry, he. This person, this normal looking dude or, or. Or girl right here wrote your favorite song. It's cool.

[Troy Volhofer]

The last season I played professional hockey was in Nashville with the Knights Pre Predators. And they used to bring in celebrities to drop the puck, you know, or whatever. I mean, there was this guy named Harlan Howard who I didn't. Who. I don't know who the har.

[Hardy]

Yeah, that's a great example. Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

So you know where Skulls is on Printer's Alley?

[Hardy]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

So there was a real gentleman named Skull Sherman who was a big hockey fan. So we had a bar we had that bar and we used to go there after practice and after the games. So I went and had beers with Harlan Howard, not knowing who the hell he was, right? Not knowing that he was the most famous songwriter in Nashville. Yeah, I'm a rock kid, right? So, I mean, yeah, yeah, yeah. Paul Stanley wrote the song, you know, or Gene Simmons or.

[Hardy]

Right.

[Troy Volhofer]

You know, Rick Nielsen from Cheap Trick, you know, whatever. Right. I didn't understand the. The whole songwriter thing in country music, which was way before you and I were even thought of as kids. Right. I mean, pretty neat thing. But he was a trip, man. He was so cool. And I was totally blown away.

[Hardy]

I don't know how many people have publishing deals these days, but I would say four or five hundred people, you know, throughout a ten, maybe a thousand throughout a ten year span that are just normal people that don't want to be famous, that don't want to be like a star or have that even that artist, like bone in their body move to Nashville just because they're like, I have a voice and I have to say, I have like, I have a pencil or a pen in my hand that I have words that I. I think, you know, somebody could. Could sing. And it's just such an eclectic or just such a cute dream to chase. But it's such a cool thing and there's such a really cool common thread with most songwriters and how just different it is. Just the culture of. Of being a Nashville songwriter is so different and it's also so supportive and like, you know, it really tries not to be competitive and dog eat dog or anything like that. It's just a. The. To me, the Nashville songwriter scene is like the coolest shit ever. I love it.

[Troy Volhofer]

So how did the little congregation that created a friends, writers, business partners, and the big loud side with Morgan earn yourself. How did that come to be? How did that originate?

[Hardy]

I mean, I would say it was kind of. It was definitely like gradual process. I think my biggest pivot moment was shout out to Dane Schmidt, Jordan Schmidt, who's a big songwriter and buddy of mine. I've written a lot of my stuff with. Dane called me when he was still working for Tree Vibes and was like. Which was Tyler FGL's publishing company. And he was like, hey, the guys have been hearing your name a little bit around. I had nothing. Still nothing. And they were like, they would love for you.

[Troy Volhofer]

You hadn't been cut yet.

[Hardy]

Hell no, dude. I hadn't at that point. I had goose egg cuts. I had nothing, dude. But they I. You know, a lot of times, I mean, I see a lot of writers that they won't have the cuts, but they get momentum, and they're a good writer, and it just. It just hasn't happened. And that's what was happening to me. So they had me out on the road, and. And I wrote with them. And I think it just kind of, you know, our hang and just our songs and stuff was enough for them to want to have me back. And that. That was a big moment for me because then, you know, back then, they were all big Loud, big machine label. But Big Loud management just covered up. So then I met Seth England. Seth was out there, you know, and. And we started hanging. And then through Seth and just through kind of being now intertwined in the Big Loud camp, this kid named Morgan Walling comes around, right? And so Seth is like, hey, would you write with Morgan? I'm like, yeah, absolutely. Morgan comes to my house, you know, and then out on the road, they have Ernest, who was a rapper back in the day, and he went by Snow, but he was. But he would like country songs, and so he would come out and. And anyway, just. Just. But that. It was that early stages of, like, me writing with and for fgl, that really kind of. That was the center of the spider web, and everything just sort of started to come and come together after that.

[Troy Volhofer]

That's. That's.

[Hardy]

It's amazing, man.

[Troy Volhofer]

Was that your first time on a tour bus with those guys?

[Hardy]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. My first time ever on a moving tour bus was. God, dude, it was Nashville to freaking Hartford.

[Troy Volhofer]

Oh, geez.

[Hardy]

So we left at like, 6pm and rolled up. We had two drivers, and we rolled up at, like, you know, 10am the next morning or something crazy like that.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah, that's wild, man. So. And then you went on to open for them, didn't you?

[Hardy]

I did, yeah. Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

Joe was hitting their. You know, when they're hitting their peak, right?

[Hardy]

Yeah. Yeah, man. I was on what I think is the most legendary, legendary FGL tour they had. It was them. Dan and Shea was direct support. Morgan was second of four, and I was first of four.

[Troy Volhofer]

Really?

[Hardy]

Yeah, it was. That was an awesome tour. And. Yeah, that just, you know, through. I had. I had been writing songs for them for a couple of years.

[Troy Volhofer]

Well, up down was yours, right?

[Hardy]

Up down was mine. That was my first number one. Really? One of my. Still one of my first cuts.

[Troy Volhofer]

Great. So.

[Hardy]

Song. Thank you. I. Dude, I love it. Thank you so much. But they, you know, had. At that point, I Had been talked into doing the artist thing and. And was a little apprehensive, but that was, like, one.

[Troy Volhofer]

They talked you into that.

[Hardy]

T. Hub was one of them, actually. Tyler Hubard was one. Tyler and Seth. Seth England. And the. One of the biggest ones was that Joey Moy. Canadian.

[Troy Volhofer]

I know Joe.

[Hardy]

It was my favorite producer, not only in the rock world, but in Nashville. Like, I just loved everything that he did, everything he touched. I love the rock thing. And he called me out of the blue one day before I knew him, like, at all, and was like, hey, this is Joey. And. And now I understand. Like, I'm sure that somebody was like, hey, give Hardy a call. I bet he'd really appreciate it. But it worked. I mean, and he was like, dude, I just want you to know, if you ever wanted to do. Put out a record, like, I would love to produce you. And I was like, dude, this is. This is. I need to do this. Like, I'm an idiot if I don't take this opportunity and just try and see what happens and. And, you know, the rest is history. Put music out and just. That was it.

[Troy Volhofer]

So let me ask you a question. So Joey, Moe Nickelback comes to Nashville, changes music.

[Hardy]

Yeah, I think he did it twice.

[Troy Volhofer]

I think he did do it twice, actually. And my question to you is, I heard he's very demanding as a producer.

[Hardy]

Yeah, he is.

[Troy Volhofer]

And hammers you down to try to get the best out of you. So what's that experience?

[Hardy]

Like, it's funny because he's Canadian, so he's really nice about it.

[Troy Volhofer]

He does it with a. I'm sorry, but you fucking suck.

[Hardy]

Yeah. Yeah. Everything is like this, just polite there. It's just never anger. He just. Joey has a very, very good, like, not mediation, but just a very good way of being stern but fair or, like, kind of telling you that you're sucking without, like. But with no emotion behind it that makes him seem like he's disappointed or angry. Thankfully, he and I have gotten in a really good rhythm when I do vocals with him because, you know, I've heard the Joey Gauntlet, you know.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Hardy]

But in the studio, you know, if. If we have somebody that's playing an instrument and we're trying to get them to nail a part or a tone or something. And it' 3:55, 4:30 in the afternoon, everybody's tired and kind of ready to go home, and they keep hitting the part long. I have seen him hit the Talk back button 100 times ago.

[Troy Volhofer]

Nope.

[Hardy]

And it just. Run it back. No do it again. No, that's. Nope. That's not, that's not. It just. And you know, it's just who he is, man. And it's very non emotional though, and very. Just professional and it's great. I wouldn't have it any other way. But yeah, he can be. He could be tough, man. I've even heard, you know, he's the only person I've ever worked on a. Been in a session with, so I have nothing really to compare it to. But I hear people a lot just be like, yeah, Joey's. Joey's a tough one to work for.

[Troy Volhofer]

I heard the same thing. That's why I asked you the question. Because I've never been there with him and. But he is definitely made a name for himself and in the music business at the top level of all. Top level.

[Hardy]

To me, like the. A Big Flip was really even. Excuse me, prior to the FGL record. The first one was that Jake Owen, Barefoot Blue Jeans.

[Troy Volhofer]

First thing I ever did without a drummer.

[Hardy]

That's. Yes, I believe so. It was all in the box. But that was such a shift in sound. And then he did the FGL record and it just. That when that happened, it was just like you could forget about everything else, dude. And so everything sounded like that for years. And now with Morgan, he's just done it again and created a. He's just created sonically something that now, now country is a little more widespread these days. And you know, I feel like it's. We're not all chasing Morgan, but he definitely has kind of controlled the, the market. I feel like for. For damn near, I mean, I would say 15 years now, which is pretty crazy.

[Troy Volhofer]

That's fantastic. So let's move off of music for a second. Okay, we'll go wrap this thing up, but thank you for your time.

[Hardy]

Dude, this is awesome. Too long. I know we've, we've tried to do it. Tried to do it a couple of times, but I'm happy to finally get back.

[Troy Volhofer]

Oh, it's awesome to see you, my friend. So you have an interest in archaeology?

[Hardy]

Yes. Yeah, of course, dude.

[Troy Volhofer]

So I'm going to just share this with our listeners and viewers. So I'm out on the road and I get a call from my. I think the lady takes care of my house. And she's like, hey, man, there's some guy here who's out in a basketball jersey and it's raining out and he's got a camouflage truck. Do you know him? And he's digging up the yard. I'm like, oh, yeah, that's Michael Hardy. We're all good. We're all good. It's all good, man. So I'm so intrigued by your interest in, you know, that aspect of life, and Tell me more about that. How did you get into archeology and your interest in it?

[Hardy]

I actually. I always thought it was cool when I was a little kid, but my. When I was a. Like a freshman or I was like, a sophomore in college, and I. And I was at mtsu, and. And it was my first year there, and I had made good friends with a guy named Clay, and Clay was like. I don't know how the conversation got brought up, but he. He's from East Tennessee. And he was like, all my cous. Go look for arrowheads. And I was like, oh, I didn't really know that you'd look for them. I thought you just kind of find them as you find them. And he was like, no, it's like a thing. Like, people look for them. And spring break was coming up, and. And. And he was like, you know what, dude? We should go to your hometown and just, like, poke around and see if we can't find some for spring break. And I was like, it. All right, let's do Philadelphia. Yeah. So we go back to Philadelphia, Mississippi. And the first. Literally the first afternoon, he's like, okay. I'm like, dude, there's a creek that kind of runs through my. Our deer hunting property back on the. Kind of on the back side of our land. We should go there. And he was like, all right. And, dude, within 10 minutes, we find one.

[Troy Volhofer]

Really?

[Hardy]

And the next morning, we go back, and we found another, and then another and another, and. And then I was just, like, hooked. And my. My biggest thing was, like, man, I've hunted here my whole life, and it's so freaking cool to know that somebody probably my age was doing the same thing that I do now. But literally, some of those arrowheads are, like, thousands of years old, right? And it. Like, some of them can be 7, 8, 9,000 years old. And I was just like, dude, this. It's just that. That whole process of, like, I was the first guy to find this. No telling what happened to it and how I got there, and the fact that it was some kid probably half my age running around chasing a deer, just like I'm doing. And have times never change, you know, it's. It's cool. But that's why I really appreciate it is. Is just the. This. The untold story that we will just never know about everyone.

[Troy Volhofer]

I love it. I love it. I love it.

[Hardy]

But, yeah, I appreciate you. Let me poke around. You were. You were doing something in your backyard. You had a lot of loose dirt. I driven by because Ashley.

[Troy Volhofer]

Trees.

[Hardy]

Yeah, that's what it was. Trees. And I'm always looking, dude. And I was like, I was like, troy's got a lot of loose dirt down there. So I was like, hey, I'm going to go poke around your backyard. I didn't find anything.

[Troy Volhofer]

I love it. You're welcome there anytime, you know.

[Hardy]

Yeah. Thank you, man.

[Troy Volhofer]

So to wrap it up, man, I just want to thank you for coming out and doing our shows and we're. Have fun tonight.

[Hardy]

Thank you. I'm stoked. I'm a little nervous, man.

[Troy Volhofer]

It's like, you know, Michael and his dear wife were at our wedding.

[Hardy]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

About five years ago, six years ago. And we had a. We had one of the greatest bands ever, I think. I love.

[Hardy]

It was amazing. I love your freaking wedding.

[Troy Volhofer]

I love cheap drink. But thank you for coming out today and doing our show and we got a couple more together and, man, it's always a pleasure to see you.

[Hardy]

Let's have fun tonight.

[Troy Volhofer]

Great to see you, my friend.

[Hardy]

Thank you, brother. I appreciate you.

[Troy Volhofer]

Love you. Hey. We just finished off with a great interview with. With Hardy, a great songwriter who will probably be in the Songwriters hall of fame within a short time and a great artist live. His live show is off the charts and has taken so many chances in a career where a lot of artists don't take those chances. He's done the country thing. He's done the rock thing back to the country thing and then has written a ton of songs for other artists, which are all hits on the radio. He's a special guy. He's a special talent, and we just really want to thank him for coming out today and joining us on on the bus with Troy Volhofer as we record this. I'm currently on the road here, just southwest of Phoenix in Florence, Arizona for Country Thunder. And this is a fun one. We always put together the biggest names in country, but this lineup is unreal. We've got folks like Keith Urban, Justin Moore, Sarah Evans, Hardy, Jake, Owen Bailey Zimmerman, just to name a few. One of the things that the fans I've talked to really enjoy about Country Thunder is the chance to see some of the rising stars in country music. I saw Baker Blankenship on stage this weekend. He totally blew my mind. What a show. Originality. It was fantastic. Let's check out some of his music.

[Hardy]

I'm 300 miles from you now. I pray that I may get home soon.

[Troy Volhofer]

Big thanks again to Hardy for joining me on the bus. He's got a huge year ahead of him and we wish him all the best. Wherever you're watching or listening right now, there's a very good chance Hardy is coming your way this summer. Head to hardyofficial.com to see all of the dates of his Jim Bob world tour. Be sure to follow Country Thunder on all our social platforms. At Country Thunder, we have new episodes dropping bimonthly. Make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you know when the new episodes hit the feed.