Bringing it Home

Put some Jager in the cooler and get ready for a good time -- Rich Hardesty is coming back to Bloomington. The LaPorte, Ind., native has played shows in all parts of the U.S., Europe and various tropical -- (wish you were there) -- islands. His feel-good, laid-back style was born and refined right here in Bloomington, where he jammed away in campus hangouts like Kilroy's and the Bluebird while working on a marketing degree from the Kelley School of Business. And this weekend, he's bringing back the groove to where it all began, as he kicks off an all ages access stint at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater in the heart of downtown Bloomington.\nHardesty has had a string of successful independently released albums, starting with 1994's Jones'n and its irresistible single-turned-IU phenomenon, "Never Wanna F@#%in' See You Again," which still remains the most requested song on the Kilroy's Sports Bar jukebox. More albums and more tours followed, which drastically increased his fan base past Indiana. Hardesty has toured Jamaica extensively, playing shows drawing crowds close to 3,000. \nIf you're familiar with Hardesty's music, his tours of Jamaica come as no surprise. His musical style and attitude take a cue from Jimmy Buffett and Bob Marley, with some Dead and U2 in the mix.\nWhile Hardesty's fame continues to escalate, he's very intent on letting everyone at IU know where his heart is. \n"It's very important to us that we stay loyal to Indiana while taking our music to the national and international level," he says.\nHardesty's increasing national recognition has taken him to Los Angeles to play shows and record a new CD. Through the course of that trip, the Rich Hardesty Band got a makeover.\nRHB has some major players, including Moe Z, who has played with the The Wallflowers and toured with John Mellencamp. Also in the RHB is Gregg Wright, who played on the Thriller tour with Michael Jackson and Dig Lewis from the Rippingtons. Rounding out the band is producer/drummer Dino Maddalone and the only remaining original member, Davey Harriter. According to Hardesty, the magic was instant between the members of the new RHB.\n"The band came together just to record the album in L.A., (and) we all worked so well together that we decided to take it on the road," he says.\n The road will be a long one with the string of dates Hardesty is set to play this fall, including a show at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater this Saturday, Sept. 20. Hardesty is stoked to play in Indiana after mostly West Coast gigs last summer.\n"Indiana fans don't give a shit -- they just wanna dance, drink and have good time. In L.A., since everyone is an aspiring musician, it is a much more critical audience," Hardesty says. \nBut keeping consistent with the optimism that spills both from his songs and his personality, he says, "it gets better and better every time we play out there." \nAmong the many stops Hardesty will make this fall is the U.S. Grand Prix, when the IU alum's party will pull into Indy to headline the inaugural concert before the race. His music will be seen and heard by more than 200,000 international race fans. \nWith this kind of increasing exposure and notoriety, one can only speculate the possibility of a major label record deal. However, Hardesty clearly understands the pitfalls of going down such a trail, and he plans to blaze his own. Rich Life Entertainment is Hardesty's announced label and as evidenced by the title, it's not just music. Hardesty plans to expand the company to film production and is visibly excited about the prospect of being in control of his destiny.\n"This way we can do it our way -- we don't have to be anyone's puppet," he says.\nThe marketing degree Hardesty earned from IU certainly taught him to think ahead, with a plethora of songs to record and plans for the next three albums. He says he uses the experience of his hectic, virtually nonstop traveling lifestyle for a catalyst for songwriting.\n"Traveling and discovering new cultures are important, (and) also airports and flying; all these are great songwriting inspirations for me," he says. \nLuckily, Hardesty doesn't have to go far to record his songs, as he has his own digital recording equipment. This allows Hardesty, though on a constant road trip throughout the U.S., to always keep his mind on new material. This is not the only way technology has helped Hardesty, however. His live shows have been well circulated among his fan base for nearly a decade, making it possible for more and more people to hear his music and feel the energetic vibe from his live shows. \nNow that Hardesty is surrounded by a seasoned team of mostly West Coast musicians, the question of a permanent move to the fertile music land of L.A. seems to not even spark his interest.\n"I was really supposed to take this to L.A., but I insisted on staying in Indiana," he says. "This is where it all started and if something happens, I want it to happen here."\nHardesty, in both his music and his business sense, is doing things his way. With the new RHB and the emergence of Rich Life Entertainment, Hardesty is set to take on the world but wants to make it clear to fans that each show will include a solo and acoustic set, like the classic Hardesty shows of yesteryear.\n"Fans e-mail me and worry about me changing. I'm still going to keep the same stage show," he says. \nPerhaps more importantly is Hardesty's consistency with the groovin' beats that typify his brand of performance. Hardesty isn't planning on changing his music or his vibe that fans, especially the local Bloomington faithful, have come to expect and love. \n"I just want everyone to know, I'm not changing the style, just taking to the world," he says.\nWith an attitude like that, Hardesty has a "Rich Life" indeed. \nHardesty will be playing at the Buskirk-Chumley on Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 the day of the show. For more information, check out www.richhardesty.com.