Josh Harty Bio: North Dakota Americana Folk Music

Josh Harty is a messenger. A North Dakota songsmith. A third generation musician, son of a small town police chief and preacher, he often muses that growing up he figured he'd end up going to jail or going to hell. Between the ages of five and eleven he sang gospel and country with his father at just about every Lutheran Church, Eagles Club and Senior Center in the Midwest. By age twelve Harty had made two records (cassettes) with his dad; achieving sales of 10,000 copies.

After playing in several cover bands in Fargo during his teens, Harty started his songwriting career when a local booking agent asked him if he could perform 45 minutes worth of original material for an opening gig. He said of course he could and set to work writing the songs that would become the material for his first album Three Day Notice. After just a week of writing and rehearsing these new songs, Josh received a standing ovation and encore request from the audience while opening for blues legend BB King!

His second solo project, A Long List of Lies (Magnolia Recording Co., 2008) debuted at number eight on the European Americana chart (ahead of the latest Van Morrison album). Produced, recorded and mastered in Madison, Wisconsin's legendary Smart Studios, the album captures Harty's "clean guitar attack and a finger style that glistens with a razor's edge." (Andy Moore, NoDepression)
In 2011 Harty released Nowhere, which was recorded at Base Camp Studios in Bozeman, MT by acclaimed performer, producer and engineer Chris Cunningham (Storyhill).
2014 saw the release of two duo albums: 12 August (Money Wolf Music) with fellow Americana artist John Statz and The Attic Session with long time collaborator Blake Thomas.

Over the last five years Harty has toured tirelessly in 41 States and over a dozen countries across Europe and the United Kingdom . He demoed songs for his new album with George Lucas in Brno, Czech Republic (released as a download called "The Brno Session"), in New York City, and in Gleisdorf, Austria with Chuck Lemonds.
Harty's new album, Holding On (released April, 2016) was recorded at DNA Music Labs in Madison, WI and was produced by Blake Thomas and Mark Whitcomb. The album features songs written on the road over the last 2+ years performed by a full band.

Short Press Bio
Josh Harty's unique blend of American music has become a must-hear for those who keep the tradition of country, blues and folk close to their hearts. Born and raised on the plains of North Dakota, Harty grew up playing shows across the Midwest with his father, a small-town police chief and preacher. The touring bug has never left Josh as he now continuously travels across Europe and North America. Harty is always looking for that balance between the rolling road and the people who inspire him, trading stories around kitchen tables and theatre stages. His live shows prove that good storytelling combined with journeyman musicianship is as American as music gets.