By Rob Nagy

In the early 1980’s the Philly rock scene was a sea of talent featuring artists like the A’s, the Hooters, Smash Palace, John Eddie and Robert Hazard and the Heroes. Hazard seemed to come out of nowhere becoming the darling of the local club scene heightened by the support of the city’s top rock station WMMR.
In 1981, while playing J.C. Dobbs on South Street, Hazard and his Heroes were given national attention when Rolling Stone Magazine writer Kurt Loder happened upon the band while in town to cover the opening date of the Rolling Stones tour the next day. Loder gave Hazard a rave review praising the band, which only furthered the cause, ultimately Hazard landed a major record deal. In 1982 Hazard released his much anticipated independent self titled EP, which featured regional hits “Escalator of Life”, “Change Reaction” and “Out of the Blue”. Hazard was soon opening up for national rock acts eventually signing with RCA Records. In 1983 Hazard gained national attention when Cyndi Lauper recorded “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”, a song Hazard wrote in fifteen minutes while sitting in the bath tub at a Delaware motel. Hazard’s 1984 national debut release, “Wing of Fire”, was a disappointment for both Hazard and his record label. Lack of radio support and album sales found the band eventually being dropped and returned to the ranks of an independent artist. By the mid eighties Robert Hazard and the Heroes had run their course and band members went their separate ways. Hazard persevered, releasing “Darlin’ in 1986, which again, did not grab the attention of radio or the record buying public. Delving into country and western and folk, his true passions, Hazard continued to write songs performing whenever and wherever possible. Over the next ten years he drifted in and out of the music business, but he was never far from his guitar. More than a decade since his last record, Hazard released “Howl” in 1998, which did not get gain him much needed exposure. Frustrated by the record business altogether, Hazard relocated to Florida then to upstate New York where he remained. Older, wiser and with no grand illusions, Hazard wrote without abandon and in 2003 Hazard released the first of three outstanding solo efforts, “Seventh Lake”, taking him back to his roots as a true folkie, a music style that he was most comfortable with and best suited him. One year later he released “Blue Mountain” and in 2007, what turned out to be his last and most impressive record “Troubadour”. Hazard had gone full circle and found great comfort and solace in his identity as an artist and as a human being. Sadly, Hazard tragically succumbed to pancreatic cancer on August 5, 2008 at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He is survived by his wife Susan, his two sons and daughter.

On Friday March 27, 2009 a variety of regional singer/ songwriters will converge on Cape May’s Congress Hall to pay tribute to Robert Hazard the man and the artist. Performers include Fred DiTomasso, who will also be emceeing the event, Jan Ward, Tom Hampton, Tom Geddes, J.D. Malone, B.D. Mylo, Kelly Carvin and Nik Everett. The program will feature guest speakers and accoustic performances of some of Hazard’s best known songs by the noted artists. The festivities start promptly at 5:30 P.M. and will end no later than 6:45 P.M. The events publicist Kat Falcey ofTunes2ya.com, a musical public relations service for musicians worldwide feels this tribute to be bittersweet. “I had the brief pleasure to work with Robert Hazard from April 2008 up to his passing in August” says Falcey. “There isn't a day that goes by, that I do not have him in my thoughts. By keeping his music alive and heard, I just know that this would have made him the happiest and even though he had accomplished so much musically there was so much more he wanted to pursue. I am honored that Susan Hazard and John Harris reached to me to organize this tribute and I just know that Robert would have been all smiles knowing how very much we all care about him and miss him and we will always cherish his time with us all. Copies of Robert Hazard’s last album “Troubadour” will be available for sale. All proceeds from this event will go to charity. For more info go to www.myspace.com/sscapemay or www.sscapemay.com