Laine Hardy showed up with a bit of a beard and some honest-to-God chest hair for his Taste of Country RISERS shoot. The 2019 American Idol winner is all grown up, but stories from his childhood will still surprise you.

This list of 10 things you probably don't know about the "Tiny Town" singer includes notes on his heritage, influences and early recordings. In fact, the place he used to go to cut those early demos speaks to what he had to overcome to prove to himself that his was a voice worth hearing. These days, the Hardy Party (his fans) may take his quiet swagger for granted, but just a few years ago he was nearly too scared to sing for anyone.

The Taste of Country team pulled a few other facts out of Laine Hardy during recent interviews, but left anecdotes about his run from police off this list in favor of more snack-sized trivia bites. That large tattoo made the cut, as did early play dates as Elvis and how close he came to the prey while enjoying a form of hunting unique to the bayou.

Watch: Laine Hardy Sings "Please Come Home for Christmas"

The 20-year-old Hardy was chosen as a Taste of Country RISER in the fall of 2020. Songs like "Ground I Grew Up On" and "Let There Be Country" caught our ear, but it was his persistence in songwriting rooms and studios around Music City that cemented him as a true artist to watch moving forward. "Tiny Town" is his new radio single, and you can hear a live acoustic performance of the song above as you scroll through these 10 facts. Be sure to subscribe to ToC's YouTube channel for more from his RISERS video shoot.

Here Are 10 Things You Didn't Know About Laine Hardy

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