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WEB EXTRA: A look back at the life of Ardent producer Joe Hardy, who died Tuesday at the age of 66

Longtime Ardent producer and engineer Joe Hardy has died at the age of 66 at his home in Houston after battling an illness.

Longtime Ardent producer and engineer Joe Hardy has died at the age of 66 at his home in Houston after battling an illness.

Hardy was well known for his work with ZZ Top but also worked with dozens of successful bands ranging from The Replacements to Steve Earle. 

Hardy arrived in Memphis in 1972 and would record numerous gold records at Ardent Studios before moving to Houston full time to continue his work with ZZ Top. 

Ardent president Keith Sykes says Hardy, along with producer John Hampton, are responsible for a great deal of the studios success through the 70s and 80s.

“Being here and bringing in those kinds of clients in, heavy heavy hitting clients, all these gold records you see, they had a hand in almost all of them,” said Sykes.

“Everybody is going to miss Joe Hardy. Everybody already does.”

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