The Nashville, Tennessee-based blues & roots music group, Piper & the Hard Times, deliver intense and rhythmically dynamic performances. In January 2024 they took first place in the band division at the prestigious International Blues Challenge held in Memphis, Tennessee. The band’s frontman, Al "Piper" Green, brings charisma, flamboyance, and the earthiness of blues with the power and authority of gospel. The band has an instrumental prowess that enables them to improvise with flair, while still creating blues-based music that can immediately connect with audiences who want musical competence and inspired original songs with strong grooves and catchy hooks. The Memphis Flyer stated, “Piper & The Hard Times is a powerhouse ensemble fueled by rock-tinged guitar.”