He was a keyboardist, harmonica player and songwriter born Stephen Joseph Hardin in Santa Monica, California who first performed in the 1960s in various bands dotted over locations such as Dallas, Texas, Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma.
During the early 1970s he became a keyboardist with the rock band Point Blank in 1977 and wrote what would become their trademark concert song “Mean to Your Queenie”. While working at one of their shows where the band was being opened up by Steppenwolf he was approached by their frontman John Kay and offered a chance to join them. He took the position and performed with Steppenwolf for the remainder of their tour.
The singer Glen Campbell was looking for a songwriter to work on his tours, TV shows and records. He auditioned for the position and after he was given the job he remained asa songwriter, harmonica and keyboard player with Glen Campbell for five years, going under the name Joe Rainey.
Once this job had finished he started going to Nashville’s Hall of Fame Club and met the country singer Gus Hardin who would later become his wife. He performed in Gus’s band for a year or so and then played reggae in Florida for seven years.
Later still he went to the Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar in Nashville and was a keyboardist for Stacy Mitchhart.
As a songwriter just a few of the songs he wrote/co-wrote include “Shine On” recorded by Point Blank, “Rodeo Girls” which reach No. 83 in the US country chart for Tanya Tucker, “Breakin’ Down” which reached No 10 on the country chart for Waylon Jennings and “Arkansas”, “Rollin'”, “A Few Good Men” and “I Love My Truck” which reached No. 10 on the US country chart for Glen Campbell.
Some of the recordings he performed on and/or wrote for include his own Rhythmgypsy and Bark of the Beast along The Wild Bunch by Black Oak Arkansas, Sounds from Home by Delaney Bramlett, with Old Home Town and Show Me Your Way by Glen Campbell, Blue Sailor by Cheryl Dilcher, Airplay and The Hard Way by Point Blank and Dream Lovers by Tanya Tucker along with many others.
He retired from the music business in 2009 and died in Tulsa, Oklahoma in June 2015 when he was 68 years old.
Sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Hardin
- https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/148508228/steve-hardin
- https://tulsaworld.com/obituaries/localobituaries/stephen-hardin/article_34343bbc-f952-57b0-a45b-c676fbfba58e.html
- https://music.metason.net/artistinfo?name=Steve%20Hardin
- https://www.reverbnation.com/stevehardin?popup_bio=true
- https://www.discogs.com/release/10546411-Point-Blank-Mean-To-Your-Queenie/image/SW1hZ2U6NDUxNzAwMzM=
- https://m.imdb.com/title/tt3081772/characters/nm2554890?ref_=tt_cl_t_5
- https://www.allmusic.com/artist/steve-hardin-mn0000043421/credits