MUMBAI: Laine Hardy had no trouble finding the swampy shuffle that drives “Swingin’,” John Anderson’s hit song from 1983. The American Idol winner and current Taste of Country RISER chose this iconic country standard as his cover and the song that closes his three-month run as ToC’s premier artist to watch.

Harmonica fills and double solos punctuate a performance that illustrates not only Laine Hardy the singer, but also the talented band leader from Livingston, La. Any recreation of “Swingin’” relies on one taking full ownership of the story of Charlotte Johnson. Hardy sings it like he grew up right down the street from her.

Laine Hardy is the second RISER of 2020, following the Cadillac Three and a long break from the series, thanks to the pandemic. Caylee Hammack, Riley Green, Jimmie Allen and Cody Johnson made up the class of 2019, joining Morgan Wallen Lindsay Ell and Brett Young from previous years. The quarterly franchise includes personal performances of an original and cover song, plus exclusive insight into what makes each artist special.

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