How HARDY's Longtime Grudge Against A Hater Proves He Won't 'Quit'

HARDY delivered a strong message to a hater when he released his 13-track album on Friday (July 12).

The award-winning country star titled his rock project Quit!! , which was written on a napkin and placed in a tip jar when HARDY was playing a songwriter round nearly a decade ago. HARDY told the story at the 15th Annual ACM Honors in 2022, where he accepted the Songwriter of the Year award on the historic Ryman Auditorium stage in Downtown Nashville, Tennessee.

“In 2015, I was playing a songwriter round with a tip jar on the front of the stage,” HARDY said on the Ryman stage in 2022. “Nobody played on that stage that night had a hit. We just played original songs, and we might’ve made $10 in tips. But one person wrote ‘QUIT’ on a napkin, and they put it in that tip jar. And tonight, that ‘QUIT’ napkin will be sitting right beside this (expletive),” he concluded as he triumphantly held the award above his head, met with applause from the crowd.

“Thank you to the person who left that negativity in the tip jar that night. This album wouldn’t exist without you. I hope everyone enjoys it,” HARDY said as the Joey Moi -produced record made its debut on Friday. The highly-anticipated follow-up to 2023’s the mockingbird & THE CROW includes the title track, “ROCKSTAR,” “PSYCHO,” “JIM BOB,” and “SIX FEET UNDER (CALEIGH’S SONG)” — an emotional tribute to his wife, Caleigh , that HARDY wrote after his tour bus accident in 2022 that resulted in significant injuries — among other tracks.

HARDY previously announced his headlining “Quit!! Tour,” which includes his first-ever stadium and biggest headline show to date, per an announcement earlier this year. See the upcoming tour dates below.

July 13 — Country Concert — Fort Loramie, Ohio +*

July 18 — Country Jam — Eau Claire, Wis. +*

July 19 — Rock The South — Cullman, Ala.

July 21 — Faster Horses — Brooklyn, Mich. +

July 25 — Riverbend Music Center — Cincinnati, Ohio

July 26 — Veterans Park - Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival — Milwaukee, Wis. +*

July 27 — Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre — Tinley Park, Ill.

Aug. 4 — Watershed Festival — George, Wash. +

Aug. 17 — Country Thunder Alberta — Calgary, Alb. +*

Aug. 22 — Bash on the Bay — Put-in-Bay, Ohio +*

Sept. 12 — Dudy Noble Field — Starkville, Miss.

Oct. 20 — Red Rocks Amphitheatre — Morrison, Colo.

Oct. 21 — Red Rocks Amphitheatre — Morrison, Colo.

* Non-Live Nation Date

+ Festival Date