A Lifetime of Music
Herbert Hardesty was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He loves music and he loves to play JAZZ.



He began his musical studies at the early age of 7 with private music lessons then continued his studies at Dillard University.

One day when he was playing in the school big band, he had the opportunity to play the trumpet with Chick Webb.

He also acquired additional training from big bands and small groups which performed various styles of music.

In these early days he worked with

  • Don Raymond
  • Sidney Desvigne
  • Papa Celestin
  • Herbert Leary
  • Joe Robichaux
  • Ivory Joe Hunter
  • Joe Turner
  • Gatemouth Brown
  • PeeWee Crayton
  • Smiley Lewis
  • The Spiders
  • Jewel King
  • Dave Bartholomew
  • Professor Longhair
Mr. Hardesty has recorded with a variety of artists in New Orleans, New York and in California.
He began his first U.S. tour with Roy Brown who was a famous New Orleans Blues singer.

Shortly after that he formed his own band.

Because of his unique solo style, he went on to record and work with many artists such as:

  • Lloyd Price
  • BB King
  • Tom Waits
  • Shirley and Lee
  • Little Richard
  • Tony Bennett
  • Count Basie
  • Duke Ellington
  • Dizzy Gillespie
  • Frank Sinatra
  • Dr. John
  • Ella Fitzgerald
  • and many other famous entertainers
He is most known for his association with Fats Domino which began in 1949 where he has been the featured sax soloist for most of his recordings.

His easy, upbeat, distinctive style has been a trademark of Fats´ recordings in such selections as

  • I´m Walkin´
  • Old Shanty Town
  • Hands Across the Table
  • All By Myself
  • My Blue Heaven
  • Ain´t That a Shame
  • I Hear You Knockin´
  • When the Saints Go Marching In
  • The Sheik of Araby
  • Sick and tired
  • Margie
  • Honey Chile
  • What´s the Reason I´m Not Pleasin´ You
  • Let the Four Winds Blow
  • Valey of Tears
  • Help Me
  • Don´t You Know
  • I Don´t Want to Set the World on Fire
  • Blue Monday and many other Domino hits

Herb Hardesty was also included in the following movie sounddracks:

  • The Blues Brothers
  • Any Which Way You Can
  • Shake, Rattle and Rock
  • The Girl Can´t Help It
  • Let The Good Times Roll
Television shows on which he appeared are:
  • The Merv Griffin Show
  • Ed Sullivan
  • David Letterman
  • Steve Allen
  • Dinah Shore
  • Starsky and Hutch
  • Andy Williams
  • Perry Como
Some of Hardesty´s original compositions are
  • Fats on Fire
  • Adam and Eve
  • Perdida Street
  • Just a Little Bit of Everything
  • It Must Be Wonderful and Beatin´and Blowin´
Hardesty still continous to perform with Fats Domino serving as his band director as well as appearing with other groups. Since 1970 he has been living in Las Vegas, although he still claims New Orleans as his home.

He continues to perform both in Las Vegas, New Orleans and other parts of the world.

The New Orleans Jazz Fest is marked by many years of participation by Herbert Hardesty where he has performed with

  • Fats Domino
  • Dave Bartholomew
  • Dr. John
  • George Wein
In 2000 he performed solo at the Music Heritage Stage.

In September of 2000 he was invited to Europe for a concert tour with the Barrelhouse Jazz Band from Frankfurt and 2003 from the Maryland Jazz Band of Cologne.




"You have to stay busy," Herb Hardesty says. "You know, I can´t just sit down and not play my horn. My horn is my life. I love people. I love performing for people. I love the travelling. I´m still doing it and itīs a part of my life. I always continue to do it."




Hardesty Rembers His Experiences

My stepfather was a very good friend of Louis Armstrong, who had given him a trumpet. I must have been about eight years of age. So during that period of time when carnival would come around, I would be on the porch on Claiborne and Louisiana and, every time a float would pass, I would get on the trumpet. During that time a very popular song was "The Music Goes Round and Round", and I would get out there and try to play that song.


The first time I went out on a gig, I was fifteen years old and we were on a stage in a movie theatre in Admite, Louisiana. One of the fellows gave me a drink which I thought was a soft drink and was especially tasty. When I got up to take my solo, I fell backwards into the movie screen and busted it. We ended up playing that night for free and even had to come up with extra money to help pay for the damages. Afterwards I found out that I had been given "White Lightning".