[citation needed] It featured such performers as Buck Owens, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Linda Ronstadt, Hoyt Axton and Willie Nelson and was also a popular hangout for other country entertainers such as Merle Haggard and Jerry Lee Lewis.

The series house band, the Shin-diggers (later renamed the Shindogs), also featured a young Glen Campbell, James Burton, Billy Preston, Delaney Bramlett, Joey Cooper and Leon Russell.

Many popular performers of the day played on the show including Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Lesley Gore, Bo Diddley and Sonny and Cher.

A native of West Texas, Hardin had grown up with drummer Jerry Allison and bassist Joe B. Mauldin, both members of Buddy Holly's band the Crickets.

He soon became an in-demand session pianist and over the years has recorded with numerous artists in a variety of music genres including Bing Crosby, Nancy Sinatra, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Buck Owens, John Denver, Linda Ronstadt, Kenny Rogers, Johnny Rivers, Merle Haggard, Michael Nesmith, Waylon Jennings, and Dwight Yoakam.

In 1970 Hardin got a call from Elvis Presley to replace Larry Muhoberac in the TCB Band, featuring James Burton, Jerry Scheff and Ron Tutt.

Across several years this band included James Burton, John Ware, Rodney Crowell, Hank DeVito, Emory Gordy, Jr., Albert Lee, Larrie Londin and Ricky Skaggs.