He grew up in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey and attended Red Bank Catholic High School.

[1] Hart's father Jennings sang for the USO and his mother Sandra is a former television hostess.

His father was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and was prescribed medicine to regulate his mental disorder, but he often resisted treatment, and he and Sandra divorced in 1977.

Hart also co-wrote the 2005 Ingram Hill hit, "Almost Perfect", which reached the top 25 on the Hot AC chart.

Hart co-wrote the theme song, "Generation", for the NBC drama American Dreams, which premiered in 2002.

Whereas his 2007 release dealt more with rocky relationships and personal struggles, Beauty takes on a more optimistic tone, with a theme of picking up the pieces and moving on.