HARDY released three new songs and announced his much-anticipated sophomore album, the mockingbird & THE CROW, which is due out in January 2023 and available now for preorder.
The 2022 ACM Songwriter Of The Year took to social media late Sunday evening (Oct. 9) to share that he would be releasing three new tunes with fans, including “here lies country music,” “the mockingbird & THE CROW,” and “TRUCK BED.”
In addition to sharing the exciting news of his three new tunes, he also gave an update on he and his crews’ health following a recent tour bus accident that took place earlier this month. HARDY said that he is “feeling a lot better. Still a little bit banged up, but man, definitely on the upswing.” Later sharing that his photographer, Tanner Gallagher, tour manager, Noah Brown, and bus driver, Ricky, are “also on the upswing. Thank you for all of your prayers. It’s been a rough few days, but everybody’s doing great.”
The chart-topping songwriter went on to share that despite recent roadblocks, he wants to keep the ball rolling with his new music.
“I’ve been going back and forth on, you know, I have a lot of big announcements I wanna make, things that I wanna post and things I wanna, you know, announce, and I was kind of wondering if I should push some of that to down the road,” he added. “But I’ve talked to everybody and everybody’s like, ‘Man, let’s keep the train rolling.’ And so I would love to officially announce that tonight, Sunday night, tonight at 11:00 PM Central and at 12 Eastern, I’ve got three brand-new songs that are dropping.”
One day later, on Monday (Oct. 10), the Mississippi native unveiled that the three new tunes would be a part of the next chapter of his career: his second studio album.
Arriving on January 20, 2023 (via Big Loud Records), the mockingbird & THE CROW will feature 17 songs, including three duets, the chart-climbing “wait in the truck” with Lainey Wilson, one with Morgan Wallen and another with A Day To Remember’s Jeremy McKinnon.
“the mockingbird & THE CROW is, in my opinion, the best thing I’ve made so far,” HARDY shared in a press release. “I had a lot of time to get in the weeds making this record with some of my favorite people in Nashville, and it truly captures every part of who I am as an artist. I’m honored that I get to share it with you next year; can’t wait to hear what you think about it.”
The project will be half rock and half country and was recorded between Ocean Way and Blackbird Studios in Nashville, entirely produced by Joey Moi with co-production by HARDY and Derek Wells, and co-production on select tracks by David Garcia, Jordan Schmidt, Ben Johnson, Andrew Wade, Jeremy McKinnon, and Cody Quistad.
HARDY co-wrote every single track on the album alongside some of Nashville’s most sought after songwriters, including Ashley Gorley, Rhett Akins, Hillary Lindsey, Jessie Jo Dillon, David Garcia, Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt, and more.
The trio of new songs join the already released Top 35 and climbing single “wait in the truck (feat. Lainey Wilson)” and HARDY’s latest rock hit “JACK.”
Listen to the new tunes below.
“the mockingbird & THE CROW”
“here lies country music”
“TRUCK BED”
See the full track list for HARDY’s upcoming sophomore album below.
the mockingbird & THE CROW Track List
1. beer (Michael Hardy, Ashley Gorley, Ben Johnson, Hunter Phelps)
2. red featuring Morgan Wallen (Michael Hardy, Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip, Jacob Rice)
3. wait in the truck featuring Lainey Wilson (Michael Hardy, Renee Blair, Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt) ^
4. drink one for me (Michael Hardy, David Garcia, Hunter Phelps)
5. i in country (Michael Hardy, Smith Ahnquist, Nick Donley, Jake Mitchell, Hunter Phelps)
6. screen (Michael Hardy, Jessie Jo Dillon, Matt Dragstrem, Hunter Phelps)
7. happy (Michael Hardy)
8. here lies country music (Michael Hardy, Cole Taylor, Brett Tyler, Will Weatherly)
9. the mockingbird & THE CROW (Michael Hardy, Jordan Schmidt, Brett Tyler) ^
10. SOLD OUT (Michael Hardy, David Garcia, Hunter Phelps) *
11. JACK (Michael Hardy, David Garcia, Hillary Lindsey) *
12. TRUCK BED (Michael Hardy, Ashley Gorley, Ben Johnson, Hunter Phelps) +
13. .30-06 (Michael Hardy, Cameron Montgomery, Hunter Phelps)
14. I AIN’T IN THE COUNTRY NO MORE (Michael Hardy, David Garcia, Hillary Lindsey) *
15. RADIO SONG featuring Jeremy McKinnon (Michael Hardy, Zach Abend, Nick Donley, Jeremy McKinnon, Cody Quistad)~
16. KILL SH!T TILL I DIE (Michael Hardy, David Garcia, Hunter Phelps) *
17. THE REDNECK SONG (Michael Hardy, Andy Albert, Nick Donley)
All songs produced by Joey Moi
All songs co-produced by Derek Wells and HARDY
* co-produced by David Garcia
^ co-produced by Jordan Schmidt
+ co-produced by Ben Johnson
~ co-produced by Andrew Wade, Jeremy McKinnon, and Cody Quistad
Later this year, HARDY will embark on his headlining Wall To Wall Tour, which kicks off on December 1 with back-to-back, sold-out shows at Georgia Theater in Athens, Georgia. The Wall To Wall Tour features support from Jackson Dean and “Blurry” hitmakers Puddle Of Mudd on select dates.
For a full list of HARDY’s upcoming tour dates visit his official website HERE.
