Getting real with Rich Hardesty
by Ryan Williams
Next Show: Fri,May 5 @
Beer Sellar
Listen: "Easy Come Easy Go" (MP3)
“I guess I am whatever people say I am in their own reality. In my reality I just want to document my life with a vault filled with musical soundtracks. It has ended up being music that people can relate to and it makes them feel good when they hear it. The live show is where it is at.” That live show has carried Rich Hardesty from the clubs of Bloominton to California, Jamaica and beyond. His easy-going party rock has been the center of many a club-going experience since he began playing his shows in college.
Those shows almost ended in college, though. “Dave Kubiak (Bluebird owner) and my younger brother were very instrumental early in my career. I had my marketing degree from I.U. I was ready to put that social mask on and work for Babylon. They said, ‘Rich, you have a line outside the Peanut Barrel every Thursday night and you’re going to leave that?’ That is when I decided to take the unconventional road. Since it is my full time-career, it has consumed every ounce of my time and it is very challenging.”
Rich Hardesty @ Indy Mp3 Project Release Party
Though he now directs his attention to his music career from a condo in Hermosa Beach, CA, Hardesty still flies back often to play shows in Indiana. “I wouldn't be on the West Coast if it weren't for Indiana peeps. I feel very connected to Indiana.” That connection is illustrated no better than in a festival he has planned for later this month. “Hoosiermosa!!! I wanted to try something in the South Bay that to my knowledge has never been done before. I want to share the wonderful vibe with a bunch of Indiana musicians. There will be three concerts and an all day beach party. There are at least 14 musicians coming out for the extended Memorial Day weekend and performing. There are also a bunch of fans coming out. If it goes over well, I plan to do it every year. I remember when I used to dream of performing in these little seaside towns. Now, I want to share my experiences. My good friend Darren Weiler started this whole Indiana musical vibe in Hermosa, Ca. I wouldn't be doing it without him.”
Hardesty’s band also maintains an Indiana connection. “My Indiana band consists of MoeZ, Michael D Smith and John Gray. They also perform with me on the West Coast. We all put our heads together and produced my newest record. Some of the best times I have had are with these guys. Imagine driving in a cargo van to Toronto, Canada with 5 or 6 guys you love to party with I also love them as people. The fans sense this energy and the show is delivered and received well. It is like that everywhere we go. I also jam with several players in LA and I learn from all of them.”
Aside from planning the music festival, Hardesty’s focus is single-minded. “Whether I am catching a plane, networking on the internet, or hitting the stage, my mind is thinking, ‘How can I market my music?’ I write jingles for Jagermeister, songs for film, and have enough tunes to keep pumping out records for years to come.” He adds that “I have missed out on a lot of life’s pleasures because I choose to do this. It is a completely different life and it isn't easy. But with that come all of the rewards that can only be reaped by living the unconventional lifestyle. It's not easy when you have to market your own name. Sometimes I say, ‘I have had enough of me.” Then I wake up the next day and remember this is who I am and what I do.”
Rich Hardesty’s next show comes Friday, May 6th at the Beer Sellar in Indianapolis.
