Hardy has gone where no other singer has gone before. The rising Nashville star has one foot in country, the other in nu-metal. And he's winning. In both.
"'Jack' is currently No. 2, I think, on the rock chart and 'Wait in the Truck' is No. 5 [on country]," Hardy said last week.
He's already had one No. 1 hard-rock song, "Sold Out," and one country chart-topper, "One Beer," plus 10 other Nashville No. 1's that he co-wrote for Blake Shelton ("God's Country"), Morgan Wallen ("Sand in My Boots") and others.
Hardy is hotter than grease at a Friday fish fry. Tickets for his two sold-out Fillmore Minneapolis concerts this week are available as verified resales for $175 for general admission and $800 for front-row balcony.
"I'm thankful for my fans because they're the most receptive and supportive group," he said by phone from Nashville. "It's really cool to hear them singing back some of the edgier stuff 'cause I know I'm taking a risk with doing the rock 'n' roll thing."
However, the country-and-metal mix is as natural for Hardy as shotgunning a beer (which he does onstage).
His rock songs may feature heavy guitars and screaming vocals, but the sensibility of the lyrics is as country as his camo ball caps. For instance, "Jack" is told from the perspective of Jack Daniels, the whiskey.
"It's the only lyrics I know how to write," he said. "I'm thankful that the rock world is taking that in and allowing me to take a chance."
His new album, "The Mockingbird & the Crow," starts with eight country tunes, finishes with eight rock numbers and is bridged by the title track.
"That was the last song we wrote for it," he recalled. "We actually wrote the crow first and the mockingbird after that. It brought the whole record together and made it like a concept record."
Despite the novel approach, Hardy received no resistance from Big Loud, the label of Jake Owen and Wallen, who has two of the biggest-selling albums of the 2020s in any genre.
Big Loud has "always supported artist creative freedom," Hardy pointed out. "As far as radio, I haven't had any pushback, though I like to say the rock stuff is still country."
Country fans are loving "Wait in the Truck," Hardy's duet with Lainey Wilson. It's a gripping story of an abused woman and a chivalrous stranger who kills her abuser and goes to prison.
"That's what makes [the protagonist] a hero. He's willing to save a life by sacrificing his own in a way," Hardy said. "My mom had mentioned to me that 'I just wish the guy would have gotten away at the end.' I was like 'No, that makes it soft.'
"Shakespeare would have had the guy spend the rest of his life in prison instead of escaped. It makes the song — and the story — better 'cause you really feel for the guy."
"Wait in the Truck" won a CMT award this month for collaborative video of the year.
"That's my first one ever actually walking in and accepting on TV," Hardy said with obvious glee. "Just being fan voted, it was cool."
Excelled in English class
Blending country and rock is natural for 32-year-old Michael Hardy (only his wife and parents call him Michael). He grew up in Philadelphia, Mississippi, playing baseball and golf, going hunting and fishing.
"I was really normal except music was a really huge part of my life from an early age," said the singer, who was listening to ZZ Top and Led Zeppelin on headphones at age 6. He later graduated to MTV-fueled rock like Creed and Nickelback — "all the stuff people like to make fun of."
In school, he was an "OK student" but excelled in English because he loved writing and telling stories. That's why Shelton's hit "Ol' Red" was a pivotal introduction to country music for him. Taken by the music of Brad Paisley and Eric Church, he studied songwriting at Middle Tennessee State University and then headed to Nashville to become a songwriter.
"Michael Hardy the songwriter is very driven when it comes to writing songs," he said. "I can turn all the rock 'n' roll and edgy stuff off if I'm trying to write for someone else. My artist brain and songwriter brain, they can be very different for sure. At the end of the day, I'm still the same person."
Not only does his music stand out but so does his image — big eyeglasses, sorta Elton John without the glitz.
"I was wearing 'em when I signed my record deal so I kept wearing 'em," he said. "I wish I had a better answer for you. I wore contacts for a long time but I got tired of 'em. So I started wearing glasses when I was like 25 years old and I never took 'em off, and it became part of my brand."
He pairs the eyeglasses with ball caps. He owns about 50 or so, including many from Nuthin Fancy apparel company that he endorses.
When was the last time he wore a cowboy hat?
"Never. Not my thing, man. Rednecks and cowboys are two different things."
After Hardy plays the 1,500-capacity Fillmore in Minneapolis, he will head to Milwaukee's baseball stadium for two nights with Wallen.
"It'll be different playing for that big a crowd," he noted, "but we're going to give 'em hell."
Hardy has stood behind his buddy Wallen, who was ostracized in 2021 for being caught on video saying a racial epithet.
"He made a mistake. He's my friend and I had his back through the whole thing," Hardy said earnestly. "I think he learned from it, and he's had a hell of a comeback and I'm proud of him."
Hardy has learned from the experience, too. He watches his drinking, even though fans want him to shotgun a beer or take a shot with him.
"People assume I'm always on," he said. "I have to tell people 'No' a lot. Especially if I go to a bar. I don't go out and act a fool anymore because you never know who's watching."
Unless he's onstage.
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