Singer keeps upbeat attitude

He's recorded six CDs and made countless live compilations. He packs college bars in Bloomington, West Lafayette, Evansville and Indianapolis. His tunes are among the most frequently played on local jukeboxes, and his show was once responsible for setting a world record for the largest amount of Jagermeister sold in one night.\nHe's Rich Hardesty, and while he might not be the next Jimmy Buffett ("I always admired the Jimmy Buffett lifestyle," he said), he's getting there -- and having a great time doing it.\n"Things happened because I chose to live an alternative lifestyle," Hardesty said. "If I fear something, I do it. I usually end up with a song or an experience that keeps me creative."\nWhat sets Hardesty apart from the crowd is his positive, laid-back attitude. He parties, he sings about partying. He visits Jamaica regularly, he sings about Jamaica. His average day includes spending quality time with his dogs, making bootleg CDs of his favorite live recordings, reading e-mails and letters from fans, and developing his marketing strategy. He said he knows bars might hire him, not for his musical ability, but for the crowd he draws.\n"The bottom line is the bar is there to sell liquor," he said. "They don't care how it gets done, as long as it gets done. If you can get that job done, then you can play whatever you want."\nMany artists view their music strictly as a form of expression, and some are bitter about the infringement of business and promotional concerns on their art. But not Hardesty.\n"You have to end up playing the business game, so be professional and treat your music career like a business," he said. "At least you will be doing something you love."\nWhile some bands see playing covers that many people recognize as a compromise to their talent, Hardesty seems to have an incredibly Zen outlook on this aspect of live performing.\n"In one night, I get to play a bunch of my own songs and also some of my favorite covers from musicians who have inspired me -- Bob Marley, the Grateful Dead, James Taylor, et cetera," he said. "The best part of my job is watching people kick back and smile."\nPerhaps his marketing sense came from the business degree he earned from the Kelley School of Business. \n "When I was 16, I thought I had to go to college, get my degree in business and kiss ass on the golf course," he said. "When I got in college, I learned that there was a way to take my hobby, passion, and love for music and make a career out of it." \nIndie-music.com calls Hardesty the best-selling independent artist in Indiana, and with sponsorships and support from national companies like Jagermeister and Sun Splash Tours, Hardesty can't complain about the business aspect of his musical career. In fact, some wonder why he hasn't made the move to a bigger market, but Hardesty has found a niche in the Midwest -- at least for now.\n"I have caught a lot of hell from East and West Coast people who say Indiana is for basketball and what am I doing here?" he said. "To make a living playing music in Indiana, you have to find a niche. I like to play at IU, but I also like to play in Jamaica, California, New York, Florida and my hometown of LaPorte (Ind.)."\nBloomington has been good to Hardesty. He is somewhat of a legend here, and said that he feels students have "adopted" him over the years. But he again admits that the college scene -- Bloomington, in particular -- is his particular niche.\n"As far as a great place for a musician to start, I think it is up to you and what your goals are," he said.\nHardesty will soon make the move from Bloomington to Indianapolis and plans to continue his regular visits to Jamaica. But who knows for sure what the future holds.\n"To get to point D, you have to stop A, B and C," he said. "Sometimes you live at C and dream about D. Sometimes you make it to D and wish you were back at A."\nIn keeping with Hardesty's relaxed way of life, he offers this advice to bands starting out: "Life is too short -- if you don't like what you're doing, change it"