HARDY is giving fans a taste of his upcoming album with the release of “Bottomland,” a powerful Southern hymn that transforms a simple wish to be buried at home into a soul-stirring anthem. Out now (Friday, Aug. 1) via Big Loud Records, the tune follows the country rocker’s recent five-track EP, COUNTRY!, which also served as a sneak peek into the forthcoming collection, COUNTRY! COUNTRY!, set for release on September 26 via Big Loud.
Produced by Zach Abend, “Bottomland” finds HARDY asserting his territory deep in rural soil as he sends out a heartfelt plea to the one above that he be buried in the same ground that raised him after he takes his final breath.
“Bury me in bottomland/ With my Grandpa’s rifle in my hand/ Lord just take me as I am/ and Bury me in bottomland,” the Philadelphia, Mississippi native sings the opening lines of the slow-tempo, stripped-back song, showcasing his signature gritty vocals and echoing his country pride over stunning, sober-tinged organs and the beautiful sounds of nature.
The award-winning singer/songwriter expresses that he wants to be laid to rest as his true self, no fancy clothes or formalities, just the way he lived as a true “country boy.” He sings, “I don’t care which box/ don’t care which stone/ All I care’s what I got on/ Don’t need no suit, don’t need no tie/ I don’t wanna be hard to recognize.”
Reflecting how the 34-year-old hitmaker was brought up, “Bottomland” captures the rural spirit of someone who loves to hunt and spend time in the deer stand. HARDY wrote “Bottomland” alongside Abend, Smith Ahnquist, Jessie Jo Dillon, and Hunter Phelps, and together the tunesmiths’ deliver a take on someone who embraces their Southern roots wholeheartedly to the point of wondering: “I don’t know if Heaven’s got big tall pines/ Or white tail bucks with ten inch tines/ But if I get there, and it looks like home/ Them woods gonna be the first place I go.”
Of the track, HARDY shared, “As a proud Mississippian, I am beyond excited to sing a song that represents this state so well. This is Bottomland.”
Few artists can rival the lyrical depth and storytelling power of HARDY, whose real name is Michael Wilson Hardy. With “Bottomland,” he further cements his status as one of country music’s greatest songwriters.
Before releasing “Bottomland,” HARDY offered teasers on Instagram featuring some of the lyrics of the song, playing in the background. In one post, he shared that he played a round of unreleased tracks for fans in Chicago, writing, “Spent yesterday in Chicago playing unreleased music for some of my fans and was surprised with a bunch of plaques. Left with a full heart, love you guys 🫶🏼.”
“Bottomland” gives listeners a deeper look at what HARDY has in store for his forthcoming COUNTRY! COUNTRY! album and shares what the production will sound like. Before releasing the track, the heavy hitter previewed his upcoming album with his COUNTRY! EP, telling Music Mayhem, “I think these are just a good precursor or a good sign of things to come with the rest of the album.”
The three-time CMA Triple Play Award winner, who is currently on his JIM BOB WORLD TOUR, added, “I put my foot down with my label, and I was like, I really, really want to have music out before the tour. Because I want to be able to play three or four of these songs so that people have something new to expect. So anyway, I just picked four or five of my favorites, and they’re all my favorite.”
HARDY released his COUNTRY! EP back in May and the collection features tracks: “Buck On The Wall,” “Car That Drove You Away,” “Girl With A Gun,” “Luckiest Man Alive,” and “Favorite Country Song.”
HARDY is currently on the road as part of his JIM BOB WORLD TOUR, which launched on May 22 and will wrap up on September 24 with a show at New York City’s iconic Madison Square Garden. The trek includes special guests Koe Wetzel, Stephen Wilson Jr., and McCoy Moore on select dates. Additionally, HARDY will take the stage at several festivals this summer and fall, including WE Fest, Voice Of America Country Music Festival, Boots & Hearts Festival and more.
Fans can pre-save COUNTRY!COUNTRY! HERE.
