The first time Rich Hardesty visited Jamaica he was on Spring Break and looking for a good time on the country’s north coast.

The American singer/guitarist has returned many times, fostering a deep love for the country and its culture.

An Indiana native, Rich Hardesty will launch Jahmerican, his latest album, today, June 2, at Pirates Dock Bar in Negril, Westmoreland.

It contains 50 songs, which boasts five new tracks,covers of reggae classics such as Bob Marley’s Who The Cap Fit, and tracks from previous albums.

“I adore the island and the people of Jamaica, so this show is different. I get to show how much Rich Hardesty has grown as a person and musician,” he said.

Rich Hardesty, who first visited Jamaica in 1993, credits it for inspiring his songs which he describes as a blend of country, reggae and rock.

That sound can be heard on the laid-back Jerk Chicken And Red Stripe, one of the new songs on Jahmerican. Caribbean Cowboy and Make Love to Reggae are other fresh tracks from the set. He covers Tyrone Taylor’s Cottage in Negril and The Melodians’ By The Rivers of Babylon.

Not all the songs on Jahmerican are folksy. Caribbean Cowboy presents a different image than the one tourists see in glossy television ads.

“It’s about my love for Jamaica, but it’s also a deep song, that everything isn’t all sunshine, like Smile Jamaica. It’s not all beautiful palm trees like we think it is,” he explained.