NEW BOOK, PARTY LIKE A ROCKSTAR, BY HIT COUNTRY MUSIC SONGWRITER J.T. HARDING, BECOMES A #1 AMAZON NEW RELEASE AS HE OPENS UP ABOUT ADOPTION, SUICIDE, THE MUSIC BUSINESS AND HIS CONTEST TO GIVE BACK

Harding's songs have been recorded by Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, Kenny Chesney and many others, resulting in multiple #1 hits and over 1 billion streams on Spotify to date. Now he's launching an opportunity for other songwriters—his new "Write Like a Rockstar" contest, which begins July 22, 2022. It will give fellow adoptees a chance to write their own song with him (to be recorded by Harding in Nashville), which they will co-own and can add to their portfolio

 "Party Like a Rockstar may be a memoir, but it could just as easily be classified as a self-help book for those of us who struggle to be ourselves. J.T. Harding is the epitome of the American rock-n-roll dream and a true testament that anything is possible if you're brave enough to dream it."
―Shane McAnally, three-time Grammy award-winning songwriter and star of NBC's Songland

"I've loved J.T.'s stories since the first time I heard them at The Listening Room in Nashville. . . .This is an American story of the unconditional love of parents, big dreams, hard work, and joy. . . . I couldn't put it down. I proudly recommend this book to readers of all ages."
―Dana Perino, New York Times bestselling author of Everything Will Be Okay: Life Lessons for Young Women (From a Former Young Woman)

NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- —"Everywhere I go people ask: How do you write songs? How can I become a songwriter?" says chart-topping country music songwriter J.T. Harding, who has over 1 billion streams on Spotify under his belt. In his newly released book, Party Like a Rockstar: The Crazy, Coincidental, Hard-Luck and Harmonious Life of a Songwriter (Twelve/Hachette, February 22, 2022), readers get answers as only a storyteller like him can give, along with an inside view into the making of hit songs, working with the artists who sing them, the highs and lows of the writing process, and what the grind is really like.

But readers also get so much more. This book is first and foremost a fun, fast-paced, entertaining memoir detailing Harding's hard-won journey to music success, which has taken him from Detroit to LA to Nashville. It all began, he says, "when I was brought into this world by a young couple. A man and a woman who loved me so much they decided to give me away . . ."

Besides pulling back the curtain for would-be songwriters and detailing fascinating stories behind the inspiration for his most popular songs, Harding offers music lovers and fans a retrospective on the people and experiences that have personally inspired him:

• His madcap upbringing as the long-haired, head-banging, wild-styled "creative" in a sports-obsessed family
• What it was like to grow up adopted—and accepted—and the difference that made as he was trying to find his way in a cutthroat industry
• Learning that a Hollywood celebrity was actually his biological father, and the surreal experience of getting to know his birthparents as an adult
• His run-ins and work with some of the biggest music artists and bands of all time
• And the devastation of losing one of his brothers to suicide at a young age

"Talking about my brother's suicide has never been easy," admits Harding. "Maybe I felt like people would judge me in some way. Since my book release though, I've found that talking about it has the opposite effect: it actually brings me closer to people. Everyone has been through something in their life. The more I share my story, the more other people share theirs with me." 

Harding's book has already reached #1 as an Amazon new release in the Songwriting genre. He was also recently featured in the Bluebird Café series at this year's Sundance Utah Festival. And during September's National Suicide Prevention & Awareness Month and National Adoption Month in November, he will be touring the country, performing his songs, and doing book signings in honor of his family—both his biological and adoptive parents—and specifically, his brother who died by suicide.

Remarks country music expert and TV host Ty Bentli, "The stories behind J.T.'s songs are some of my favorites in music, but I didn't know his true backstory until now. It's surreal. His life is Forrest Gump meets Entourage." 

Adds award-winning music journalist Gary Graff: "As a songwriter, JT Harding knows how to tell a story. Turns out he has one of his own—and quite a … moving one at that. In a life filled with twists, turns and adventures, what shines through Party Like a Rockstar is Harding's genuine and consuming passion for music (and entertaining), a plus-size personality that's powered him to become a top-shelf collaborator responsible for so many hits we find ourselves humming at random times. The man behind those is every bit as interesting as the songs themselves, and you can't put this book down without wanting to party like a rock star a little yourself."

How does a dude who grew up with an outrageous passion for rock-n-roll end up writing giant country hits? How does a guy who had no music-business connections whatsoever find his way to his dream of being on hit radio? Your attitude about your circumstances helps a whole lot. According to Harding, "Being adopted has given me an incredibly optimistic view of life. Whenever life throws me a curveball, a disappointment, or a roadblock, I remind myself that I was adopted by the Hardings (the greatest parents ever), and that the universe has had my back since day one."

Harding hopes that everything he offers of himself and his experiences in Party Like a Rockstar will not only encourage dreamers everywhere to keep grinding but will inspire fellow songwriters. "More than ever, people of all ages all over the world seem to be interested in having a hit song of their own. My book not only gives the down-low on working toward that goal, but it's also my story of persistence and never giving up and how you need to stick with a dream for a long, long time if you ever hope to see it come true."

Party Like a Rockstar: The Crazy, Coincidental, Hard-Luck, and Harmonious Life of a Songwriter is available everywhere books are sold. Learn more at www.twelvebooks.com. Follow J.T. on social media @jtxrockstar on Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, and @jtxmusic on Facebook. To learn more and the "Write Like a Rockstar" contest, visit www.writelikearockstar.com.

J.T. HARDING was born and raised in South Detroit. While other kids were on the baseball field, J.T. was in his basement, jumping around to MTV videos and trying to write his own songs. He put together several bands in high school and then moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dream. J.T. made his first demo tape with prize money he earned by winning the VH1 game show Rock & Roll Jeopardy! He has since written several chart-topping hits, including "Smile" with Uncle Kracker, "Somewhere in My Car" with Keith Urban, "Somewhere with You" and "Bar at the End of the World" for Kenny Chesney, Dierks Bentley's "Different for Girls," Jake Owen's "Alone with You," and Blake Shelton's number-one song "Sangria."

His memoir/how-to book, Party Like a Rockstar, was released in February 2022 and quickly reached number one on Amazon in the songwriting category. He lives in Nashville and continues to churn out the hits by the light of his vintage KISS pinball machine.

ABOUT TWELVE: TWELVE, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group, was established in 2006 with the objective of publishing no more than twelve books a year, singular works of nonfiction by authors who have a unique perspective and compelling authority, works that explain our culture and that illuminate, inspire, provoke, and entertain.

ABOUT HACHETTE BOOK GROUP: Hachette Book Group is a leading U.S. general-interest book publisher made up of dozens of esteemed imprints within the publishing groups Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Audio, Hachette Nashville, Little, Brown and Company, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Orbit, Perseus Books, and Workman Publishing.  We also provide custom distribution, fulfillment, and sales services to other publishing companies.  We are committed to diversity in our company and our publishing programs, and to fostering a culture of inclusion for all our employees and authors. We are proud to be part of Hachette Livre, the world's third-largest trade and educational publisher.  Learn more at hachettebookgroup.com.

CONTACT: Morgan Canclini-Mitchell, [email protected]

SOURCE J.T. Harding