Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Pete Atkinson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Pete , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Honestly, one of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken was quitting drinking. For years, it was just a part of who I was. I front an outlaw country band—Hard Luck Pete & The Wrong Way Streets—and drinking felt like it came with the territory. Bar gigs, late nights, writing songs with a buzz… it all fit the image. And if I’m being real, I used to romanticize that whole “die young like Hank or Keith Whitley” thing. I thought going out in a blaze of booze and heartbreak was part of the outlaw legacy. How dumb was that?

But over time, it stopped being cool. Rehearsals turned into drinking sessions. I’d be stacking beer cans into a pyramid while the band was trying to make sense of the lyrics I barely remembered writing. I was dragging everything down—my health, the music, the people around me. I kept telling myself it was under control, but it wasn’t.

On February 8th, 2021, I finally said screw it—I’m done. Cold turkey. No rehab, no dramatic rock bottom moment. Just me realizing that if I didn’t stop, there might not be a later.

It was scary as hell. I didn’t know who I was without it. Would I still be creative? Would I still be any good on stage? Would people even care about the music if I wasn’t the wild, half-lit frontman?

Turns out, yeah—they did. And more importantly, I cared more. The band tightened up, my voice got stronger, and the songs got realer. I started showing up—fully present, fully committed. We stopped talking about what we could do and actually started doing it.

Giving up drinking felt like jumping off a cliff. But I landed on something solid for the first time in a long time. And I didn’t die like Hank or Keith. I got a second shot—and I’m making the most of it.

Pete , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Alright, let’s get into it.

My name’s Pete Atkinson, but most people know me as Hard Luck Pete. I’m a singer-songwriter, live showman, and the frontman of Hard Luck Pete & The Wrong Way Streets, an outlaw country band based outta Michigan. We make raw, honest music that blends the grit of Hank Jr. and Waylon with the soul of Kristofferson and the no-bullshit truth of Whitey Morgan or Cody Jinks. We’re not here to play pretty pop-country. We’re here to tell real stories—heartbreak, addiction, grit, regret, rebellion, and the kind of hard-earned redemption you don’t find on a Nashville playlist.

Music started as therapy for me. I wrote lyrics back in the day while I was working at a car dealership. My buddy Greg helped turn a couple of them into songs, and the band was born in 2008 under the name Wrong Way Streets. Over the years, we took a lot of hits—lineup changes, life changes, and, for a long time, my drinking nearly destroyed it all. I was chasing the outlaw dream a little too hard. But in 2021, I gave up alcohol and everything changed. That’s when Hard Luck Pete truly came to life. I got focused, clean, and serious about using my music—and my story—to help others.

What do we offer? A damn good time, first off. Our shows are electric—pedal steel wailing, boots stompin’, and lyrics that hit like a punch to the gut or a shot of whiskey. But beyond the music, I’ve built a brand around authenticity. I’ve got a side project called Pete Empowers that focuses on personal growth, mental health, and financial freedom—because I know what it’s like to climb out of a hole you dug yourself. I’m not preaching, I’m just sharing the tools I used to get back on track.

We’ve got a solid catalog of music—EPs like Four Nights in Waco and For My Brothers, singles like Trying and It’s Christmas, and fan favorites like Where’s Your Sister Man? and Lately I’ve Been Drinkin’ Too Much Lately. More’s on the way, including a country-fried cover of Cowboys From Hell featuring Daniel Mason from Hank 3’s band, and our upcoming single The Road dropping in October.

What sets us apart? Simple: we’re real. No backing tracks, no fake twang, no trying to ride trends. Our music’s for people who’ve lived a little, lost a lot, and still got something left in the tank. We’ve played legendary venues like The Machine Shop, Dukes Indy, PJ’s Lager House, and opened for folks like Ward Davis. But our mission is bigger than stages. It’s about building a community—whether it’s through our music, our message, or even just sharing a plate of my smoked BBQ after a gig.

What I’m most proud of is this: I turned my life around and used it to create something worth sharing. I want fans to know that this isn’t just a band—it’s a movement. A middle finger to fake country, a lifeline for the folks barely holding on, and a celebration of real, gritty, outlaw-hearted art.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

There’s one story that really sums up my journey with resilience, and it goes back to a time when the band was barely hanging on—and honestly, neither was I.

We had a gig booked at a well-known venue. A solid opportunity. But I was deep in the bottle at that point, running on fumes and bad decisions. I barely rehearsed. I barely slept. I showed up late, reeking of booze, and stumbling through the songs. The band was tight. I was not. And I could see it on their faces—that mix of disappointment and frustration. They were carrying me, and they shouldn’t have had to.

That night should’ve been the end. Most bands would’ve cut ties. And truthfully, I almost walked away myself. Not just from music—but from everything.

But something changed after that show. The next morning, I looked in the mirror and realized the only thing between me and the life I wanted was me. Not the industry, not bad luck, not missed chances. Just me. So I quit drinking. Cold turkey. February 8, 2021. I gave up the one thing I thought I needed to survive in order to actually start living.

And that’s when things started to shift.

I rebuilt everything from the ground up—my health, my voice, my relationships, the band. It wasn’t easy. There were nights I sat in silence just to hear my own thoughts again. I had to relearn how to write sober, perform clear-headed, and handle life without a crutch. But every time I felt like folding, I reminded myself: I’ve already survived worse. I didn’t come this far to go quietly.

Now, we’re stronger than ever. We’re playing killer shows, releasing new music, building a fanbase that’s as loyal as they are rowdy—and I’m present for all of it. Fully. Finally.

Resilience isn’t about never falling. It’s about getting back up, even when you’re the one who knocked yourself down. And I’ve been getting back up ever since.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

If I knew back then what I know now, we could’ve saved ourselves a hell of a lot of headaches trying to run this band.

When Hard Luck Pete & The Wrong Way Streets started out, we were just figuring it out as we went—zero clue about the business side. We thought if we played enough dive bars and handed out burned CDs, somehow we’d make it. Turns out, there’s a lot more to it—and I wish someone had pulled me aside early and handed me a list of tools that would’ve made life way easier.

Here’s what I wish we’d known from the jump:

1. DistroKid or CD Baby –
Getting your music out there used to seem impossible without a label. These sites let you upload straight to Spotify, Apple Music, everywhere. It’s cheap, easy, and you keep your royalties. We wasted time not being on streaming platforms early.

2. A damn good EPK –
We were sending emails like, “Hey, we’re a band, here’s a YouTube link.” Amateur hour. What we needed was a real Electronic Press Kit—bio, pics, music, live video—all in one clean link. Now we use Canva and Bandzoogle to build that stuff easy.

3. Email lists –
We chased Facebook likes like idiots. Didn’t realize the algorithm could kill your reach overnight. I wish we’d started collecting emails from fans at shows day one. A good email list is your audience. Nobody can take it from you.

4. Merch on demand –
We used to blow money printing shirts we hoped would sell. Now? We use Printful for print-on-demand stuff and only carry the top-sellers in bulk. Saves money, and you don’t end up with 200 leftover mediums from five years ago.

5. Better booking tools –
I used to spend hours routing tours manually, sending emails to venues and praying for replies. Sites like Indie on the Move or even Bandsintown Manager could’ve saved me from a million headaches and ghosted emails.

6. Keeping band money straight –
Money gets weird if you don’t keep it clean. We’ve had fights over who paid for what. QuickBooks or even just a shared Google Sheet would’ve saved friendships and made it way easier to track what’s coming in and what’s going out.

7. Scheduling content –
We used to post whenever we remembered, which wasn’t often. Now we use Meta’s Business Suite to schedule stuff out and keep the band visible even when we’re busy or on the road.

8. Keeping everyone organized –
Between setlists, lyrics, merch orders, and schedules, it’s chaos if you don’t stay on top of it. Google Drive and Trello helped us quit texting each other at midnight like “wait, what’s the key for that song again?”

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Bottom line—there’s a ton of stuff out there now that makes running a band easier if you know it exists. We learned most of it by screwing things up first. If I can help the next band skip a few of those mistakes, I’ll consider that a win.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Hardluckpete.com
• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/hardluckpete
• Facebook: https://Facebook.com/hardluckpete
• Youtube: https://YouTube.com/hardluckpete