Comments on: Forgotten Artists: Gus Hardin (1945-1996)

By: James

James — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 20:23:59 +0000

I have all 3 of Gus’s albums that she did for RCA. I always felt that RCA did not invest what they should have to promote her. She should have been more of a famous artist. Hello, to Becky Hobbs, how’s your “Oklahoma Heart?”

By: Constance Baiely

Constance Baiely — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 11:33:53 +0000

I miss Gus so much…Still looking for some Smokehouse Blues recordings online to show off her real talent.

Hola Becky, I’m in Belize now, 2 hours north of SP. Can you believe this bartender from B’ville running a library now? Still writing my butt off, leaving it open source.

By: Glinda Fox Willis

Glinda Fox Willis — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 13:03:39 +0000

I remember Gus Harden as the big voice of the Tulsa
Club scene. She could fill up a club as no other could. I remember when she won up & coming new comer and she made that video with her letting loose the dogs on her two timing lover – She said those dogs scared her so much. I remember I laughed and said, Gus I never thought you were afraid of anything. A great talent and good person is mised

By: Wanda Denise

Wanda Denise — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:22:24 +0000

I wrote this poem in Gus’s honor. So I thought I’d share it with y’all..

MY LIGHT
WAS BRIEF,
BUT FOR A
MOMENT I
WAS HERE-
SENDING A
MESSAGE FOR
ALL TO HEAR-

THE DAY
I DIED,
I LEFT YOU
DROWNING IN
MEMORIES, AND
BROUGHT YOU TO
WALL OF TEARS-

MY LIGHT
NOW IS LIKE THE
NIGHIT LIGHTS,
THE STARS SHINING
BRIGHT- FROM WHAT I
ONCE WAS, AS ONE OF
THE BOYS TO MY LAST
GOODBYE- MY MIND IS ON
YOU, ALWAYS, BUT NOW
I’M AN ANGEL DANCING
AS FAST AS I CAN-

FOR A MOMENT
C 2011
ALLEGRA

By: Wanda Denise

Wanda Denise — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:20:32 +0000

I was wondering what happened to Gus. I heard her duet with Earl thomas Conley on XM radio one day and was surprised that I knew all the words, her accent and all! So i searched online and saw some things on youtube and saw that she died. I was heartbroken. That ruined my day. I never got the chance to meet her, or see her in concert but she sure was good! It’s too bad that she was killed the way she was. I hope the person responsible is paying dearly, and that her family is at peace now knowing she’s watching over them. R.I.P. to a wonderful singer!

By: acer17MKWI

acer17MKWI — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:58:08 +0000

need help to settle a bet!!

Didn’t gus have a release on the song “The First Cut Is The Deepest”?, in t mid-eighties.

The song wa wrtten by Cat Stevens & also relased by Sheryl Crowe

By: Gary Brumley

Gary Brumley — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 15:29:40 +0000

Gus Hardin is a voice and woman I will never forget. I was inspired by the way she performed and she is missed. I met her when she was touring with Gordon Shryock . Thank you for having this site in memory of Gus Hardin
Hi Beckaroo…Gary Brumley

By: Jonathan Jett

Jonathan Jett — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 21:50:07 +0000

She was truly amazing and have fond memories of Her TV appearances and listening to Her growing up in the 80′s! I had Her 3 lps put onto cd and still play the great catalog of Her songs on My ipod! She is truly missed and a great talent in history that is overlooked! Too bad someone hasn’t thought to put her stuff out and all unreleased tracks as well…

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 07:26:09 +0000

I used to listen to Gus Hardin back in the ’80s. In fact, I still have the tape with her # 43 single ” I Pass ” . I’d say her voice was somewhere along the lines of, oh say, Elizabeth Ashley or Lauren Bacall. It’s what used to be called, ” whiskey and soda ” . A very distinctive voice. She will be missed.

By: Rick

Rick — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:01:49 +0000

I remember awhile back when Gus was first mentioned here I just assumed she was a guy! (lol) So we have a boy named Sue and a gal named Gus! Hmm…

I have to take exception to Mojo Bone’s contention that higher sound quality was part of the reason for fewer songs from RCA. This was the same company after all that issued the thin, flimsy “Dyna-warp” LP’s in the 1970′s that tended to sound like crap. I have an RCA pressed Bear Family LP from about 1981 that sounds fantastic with six to seven songs per side, so issuing an album with five or less songs per side (unless they were long songs) was just plain skimping!

Its great to see some of Gus’s personal friends drop in and pay tribute, including the Beckaroo! This is the kind of thing that makes a blog something special and not just a source of information.