Hardy has become extremely well-known within the ranks of country music not only for his solo songs, but also for his one-of-a-kind songwriting skills.
He has written or co-written a lot of songs you have heard on the radio from other artists, including Blake Shelton‘s latest chart-climber, “Let Him in Anyway.”
Shelton was speaking with Country Now when he described the moment he informed Hardy that he would be recording the song.
“He [Hardy] said, ‘Well, man, that song means a lot to me. I wrote it with some friends and I’m really excited that you’re cutting it. I just didn’t believe them for … I thought they were messing with me’ or whatever, which I don’t know why he thought that. I’ve cut a bunch of his songs over the years. He’s an incredible talent.”
The compliments flowed both ways as Hardy gushed over Shelton for a moment.
Hardy explains, “Blake has blown me away at how he’s just taken to my songs and my music…I moved to town to write, I wanted to write a song for Blake Shelton. He has really taken a chance on me and time after time I hear interviews of him just saying good things about me. So, I love Blake. I love him.”
Blake Shelton’s Tragic Personal Loss
Shelton experienced the tragic loss of his older brother, Richie Shelton, who died in a car crash at age 24. The singer was only 14 at the time.
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Hardy explained to Country Now backstage at CMA Fest that when he sent the song to Shelton, he didn’t know about the loss that Shelton has dealt with over the years.
With a powerful first four bars of the song, little did Hardy know that this song hit Shelton closer to home than Hardy thought it would.
“Ain’t it a scary thing / When somebody’s time here ends? / Layin’ flowers on their grave / Wonderin’ where their soul went,” the song begins.
Hardy said, “It’s a very polarizing song. And to be honest, when I sent that to Blake, I didn’t know about his story about his brother and all of that. I think more than anything, it speaks to like if you have a message that you want to tell, convey to one of your friends, whether that’s witnessing to them or even just telling them to calm down a little bit or whatever it may be, I think it’s just a good message to send out to the world.”
What Songs Has Hardy Written for Blake Shelton?
Hardy has written four songs for Shelton to date:
- “God’s Country”
- “Let Him in Anyway”
- “Hell Right”
- “Come Back as a Country Boy”
Top 10 Blake Shelton Songs That Make Him One of Country Music’s Most Important Modern Artists
Blake Shelton is easily one of the most important names in country music. Aside from the impact his music has had on the genre, the country singer has certainly helped spread the country music gospel with his lengthy time on The Voice.
Here are the top 10 songs from the Oklahoma native that prove he is one of the most important modern artists to the world of country music.
Gallery Credit: Jess Rose
Blake Shelton + Gwen Stefani: A Timeline of Their Love
From an unlikely, cross-genre pairing to one of country music’s hottest “it” couples, Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani have been on quite the journey together since they first met back in 2014 on the set of The Voice. Here is a look back at their fairy tale love story in pictures.
