Nathaniel S. Hardy Jr.

Nathaniel Sidney Hardy Jr. (born April 19, 1964) is an American musician, composer, and keyboardist. Hardy is known for his contributions as a keyboardist for Chic, and his work with acts such as Run-DMC, Madonna and Crystal Waters.

Nathaniel S. Hardy Jr.
Hardy in 2015
Background information
Birth nameNathaniel Sidney Hardy Jr.
Born (1964-04-19) April 19, 1964
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
GenresPop, R&B
Occupation(s)
  • Songwriter
  • musician
  • keyboardist
InstrumentsKeyboard
Years active1980-present
LabelsRCA Records
Associated acts
Websitestore.cdbaby.com/Artist/TheNathanielHardyProject

Biography

Hardy was born on April 19, 1964 in Baltimore, Maryland.

He attended Cherry Hill Junior High School, and started out as a member of the school's marching band (P.S. #180) while growing up in the "Projects" of Cherry Hill. He joined the band in the seventh grade to keep out of trouble when his brother Gershwin brought home a trombone; he then decided to take music class. His music teacher Mr. Keenan suggested that he play the bass cello. Upon playing the Bass Cello, Nathaniel decided it was to troublesome to carry the cello home for practice and switched over to playing trombone alongside his brother. Nathaniel continued to play the trombone until the ninth grade under the direction on his new music teacher Miss Catherine Snyder. Once while watching neighborhood friends play instruments, he noticed his brother was acting like he was playing an organ his mother had bought, while the other band members were actually performing on his brother's friend Weldon Harris' porch, when they all stopped playing everyone knew that his brother was faking it. That is when Nathaniel decided to learn to how to play the keyboard. He worked numerous jobs saving up money to buy both music and stereo equipment. He taught himself by learning the keys and reading books.

In 1980, Nathaniel was approached by a childhood friend Thomas Lee Brown, III, and later a junior high school friend Terrance Balfour (after hearing Nathaniel sing in the Gym shower) to front a local band that he started called "Savior Faire". The band was signed to RCA Records with Nathaniel fronting as lead vocalist. Nathaniel and Terrance would later write for artist such as Kurtis Blow, Run-D.M.C., and other rap acts from some contacts that Thomas knew in New York. After less than two years with RCA, the band was dropped by RCA for failing to reach 500,000 units in sales and contract disputes. Nathaniel was able to maintain all rights to his music since he was the only one that did not spend any money, when he was able to give back the advance that the record company had fronted him. In 1981, Nathaniel was introduced to Tony Thompson (who was at the time the drummer for the band Chic) at a party when he suggested he would introduce him to both Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. Nathaniel was then invited to join a number of Chic session recordings with Deborah Harry, Carly Simon, and on Madonna's Like a Virgin album, which was considered a re-united Chic, featuring band members Bernard Edwards, Nile Rodgers, Tony Thompson, and Robert Sabino; also while in the U.S. Navy he continued to write music with Bobby Brown, Teddy Riley, The Basement Boys, and Crystal Waters. In late 2008, Nathaniel started using the name The Nathaniel Hardy Project.

Selected discography
  • "Sucker M.C.'s" – Run-DMC Nathaniel S. Hardy, Jr. and Terrance Balfour (1983)
  • "Gypsy Woman" – Crystal Waters (1991)
  • "Two Can Play That Game" – Bobby Brown (1994)
  • Nothing Last Forever! – The Nathaniel Hardy Project (2005)
  • I Love You More! – The Nathaniel Hardy Project (2006)
  • Shut the Hell Up! – The Nathaniel Hardy Project (2008)
  • Ahhhh Yeah!!! – The Nathaniel Hardy Project feat. Faith R. Hardy-Molina (2010)
  • I Got the Boom, Boom, Boom! – The Nathaniel Hardy Project (2012)
  • I Have You (I My Life!) – The Nathaniel Hardy Project (2015)
  • The Craziest By Far!!! – The Nathaniel Hardy Project (2015)
  • Crazy! – The Nathaniel Hardy Project (2015)
  • Moonlight in Baltimore – The Nathaniel Hardy Project (2016)
  • Bounced Back (Life Is Good!) – The Nathaniel Hardy Project (2018)
  • When Tomorrow Comes! – The Nathaniel Hardy Project (2018)
  • Mind Going Crazy! – TizzleBangerz (feat. The Nathaniel Hardy Project) (2019)
  • Pandemic Nation 2020 - The Nathaniel Hardy Project (2020)

References
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