John “Jack” Hardy
November 23, 1947 – March 11, 2011
Jack Hardy was a respected and influential New York singer-songwriter who came to prominence in the early ’70s. After building a following in Greenwich Village, Hardy began hosting a weekly gathering of local singer-songwriters in his apartment. It eventually became a must-visit for aspiring songwriters which included the likes of Suzanne Vega and John Gorka, to name a few. By the ’80s, Hardy was becoming quite popular – mainly in Europe, and was touring with friend, David Massengill as the Folk Brothers. He released several albums over the course of his career and has been cited as a direct influence on the likes of Vega, David Wilcox, and the Roches. Jack Hardy was 63 when he passed away on March 11, 2011. Cause of death was not immediately released, but he had reportedly been diagnosed with cancer just a few weeks prior.