“As a band we believe the blues genre isn’t doing enough to attract a younger more diverse audience. With these new songs we kept the blues at their core, and expanded it with rock, soul, funk, and an “in your face” sound.”

Piper & The Hard Times:

Let The Good Company Roll

The core of the band Piper & the Hard Times, Al “Piper” Green (vocalist/songwriter), Steve Eagon (guitarist/songwriter/bandleader), and Dave Colella (drummer/songwriter) have been playing and writing together for over 20 years while establishing themselves as a premier live act on the roots music scene. The band is rounded out by Amy "The Professor" Frederick on keyboards and Parker "Funkstick Porkchop" Hawkins on bass. PIPER & THE HARD TIMES' new album will be released on AUGUST 29, 2025 by Hard Times Records titled GOOD COMPANY. Piper & The Hard Times is not your ordinary band. Since winning the 2024 International Blues Challenge (IBC) in January 2024, the Nashville-based blues-rock band has been shot out of a cannon. Their August 2024 debut album Revelation spent two weeks at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart and finished the year on numerous “best of” lists. Eager to keep the momentum going, Piper & The Hard Times started playing new material in the fall and winter of 2024 and 2025. They proceeded to record their sophomore album, Good Company, in late March and April 2025. The bulk of the recording was completed at the legendary Oceanway Studio A in Nashville, TN. They again partnered with Revelation producer Tres Sasser and engineer Joe Costa.

(Photo: Nashville based band of Piper & the Hard Times)

The core band of guitarist Steve “The Conductor” Eagon, Al “Piper” Green, and drummer Dave “Sexy Boy” Colella had a vision to create an album of original songs with a strong blues foundation while adding their other varied musical influences. What you get is James Brown style funk on “Not Your Fault”, straight up rock and roll with “Good Company”, a fuzzed-out ZZ Top style number in “Cowboy Gucci,” and the Sly Stone inspired groove of “Tear it Down.” The soulful mid-tempo song “Those Days” has elicited strong emotional responses from people with its lyrics about simpler times, and is arguably the band’s finest performance on the album. The 8-minute song was recorded in one take with Eddie Meyer overdubbing on saxophone. The blues is firmly represented on Good Company yet pulled and stretched in different directions. 

Interview by Michael Limnios        Archive: Piper & The Hard Times, 2024 Interview

Special Thanks: Al “Piper” Green, Steve Eagon, Karen Leipziger/KL Productions

As an indie musician, how do you navigate the balance between creative freedom and commercial appeal?

Piper - I truly don’t think about it that much. I believe very strongly in staying true to yourself. My role in the band is to deliver the songs with passion and connect with the audience in a way that makes a Piper & The Hard Times performance beyond memorable. I feel there is a lack of true entertainers like back in the Stax records heyday of the ‘60s and ‘70s. If the band and I bring over 100% energy, musicianship, and great songs to a show, then the audience goes on a journey and word-of-mouth will continue to grow!

How did the idea of band come about? And how did Al Piper hook up with The Hard Times?

Steve – The band was founded a couple decades ago when I met Al while he was sitting in with a local Nashville blues band. I watched him completely take over the room with his personality and big voice and immediately asked him if he’d be interested in forming a band. I had recently moved to Nashville with some songs I had written and was playing in another project with our drummer, Dave Colella. I told Dave about Al, and when the three of us got together to jam with a bassist, the chemistry was there and we were out playing gigs a few months later. Over two decades later we’re still going at it!

“This may sound simple, but we’re just being Piper & The Hard Times. Each member of this band brings different influences that jump into our songs. Also, the way we record, the Nashville songwriting influence, and the collaboration with producer Tres Sasser all play a part. We have deep respect for the blues’ roots, but those roots have to grow.” (Photo: Piper & The Hard Times)

Do you have any interesting stories about the making of the new album “Good Company”?

Piper - We were beyond lucky to have recorded this album in the world famous Oceanway studio A (look it up on Google!). Not many artists can say they were able to do that which is a story in itself. There’s definitely some magic and spiritual thing happening in that old church turned recording studio.

Steve – For me, recording the song, “Those Days” is an experience I won’t soon forget. We had been playing this song in shows for a couple months, and one night the song took off and it turned into epic jam that took the band and audience on quite the ride. In the studio, we simply wanted to try and capture that feeling and gave it a go to see what would happen. In just one take with no overdubs, we recorded an 8-minute rendition that was unmistakably perfect in every way. When we played the song back in the control room, there wasn’t a dry eye to be found in the room. It made the record as is and closes it out.

What are you doing to keep your music relevant today, to develop it and present it to the new generation?

Steve - This is a great question, and something we discuss frequently. As a band we believe the blues genre isn’t doing enough to attract a younger more diverse audience. With these new songs we kept the blues at their core, and expanded it with rock, soul, funk, and an “in your face” sound. There is fuzz guitar and bass sounds, creative percussion, and catchy vocal hooks. Next, we need to begin playing outside of the blues club circuit to find a younger audience. When we play to younger college audiences, they eat up our music!

Your work is known for creatively reimagining  blues, soul, R&B tradition. How do you balance respect for the roots with experimentation?

Piper - This may sound simple, but we’re just being Piper & The Hard Times. Each member of this band brings different influences that jump into our songs. Also, the way we record, the Nashville songwriting influence, and the collaboration with producer Tres Sasser all play a part. We have deep respect for the blues’ roots, but those roots have to grow.

You’ve worked in many different settings, from clubs and studios to open air festivals. How do you navigate between these different worlds?

Piper – Man, we don’t think about it too much. We just show up to an event and stay true to who we are.

Steve – We will adjust our set depending on the setting and know how to read the room. Each event brings a different feel that we embrace for what it is.

”If the band and I bring over 100% energy, musicianship, and great songs to a show, then the audience goes on a journey and word-of-mouth will continue to grow!”

(Photo: Al "Piper" Green & Steve Eagon)

What do you base your success on? How do you engage with your fans and build a dedicated community around your music?

Piper – Our success comes from staying true to ourselves, working very hard, and just having fun. The love and joy we have playing music with each other is very evident when you watch a Piper & The Hard Times show. We also think you can feel it listening to our records. We’ve grown our fanbase through word-of-mouth, talking with fans before, during and after shows, and having fun on social media. We just love connecting with fans and getting to know them.

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