'The Rev' star Richard Hartley reveals how 'destiny' got him the show and how his wife was mesmerized by him
From appearing on Mariah Carey's music videos to starring on his very own reality show — pastor Richard Hartley is easily one of the most interesting and entertaining persons you'll come across. We caught up with Hartley to learn more about his reality show 'The Rev', his family, and how he ended up on a reality show.
Music and singing play a very integral role in Hartley's life. From training choirs to traveling across the globe to perform alongside legends like Michael Jackson and Celine Dione, the pastor has done it all. When asked about his interest in music, he claims it to be a "gift from God": "I was reared in the church and was singing and directing the choirs at the church by the age of 5 or 6! It was really a gift from God. My brother played the piano at the age of 7 and we were the musicians and singers for the church."
Performing alongside Mariah Carey is a dream come true for any musician. So how did a pastor manage to accomplish this? He says, "Growing up in the church and singing was a community tradition. We met many other singing families like Kelly Price and the Price sisters. I used to direct them in a community choir and once Kelly price started singing with Mariah Carey, she called me to help put together a choir since I was a well-known choir director. We went on to back Mariah for several events!"
Richard Hartley and his family are all set to appear on 'The Rev'. The show follows Pastor Richard Hartley and his family. After spending years traveling across the globe, the pastor is back home to Long Island, NY. He has embarked on a mission to build his hometown's choir group with the help of his lovely wife, Stacey. Alongside that, we will also see the couple pushing their children to pursue their dreams.
So how did Hartley end up on a reality show? "Actually, the opportunity came to me. A friend came to my choir rehearsal and asked to film since I was notorious for having extreme rehearsals. He sent that film to a friend, then to another, and so on. It landed at a Hollywood production company and they received several network offers for the concept. There it is! No audition, no plan, just destiny!" shared the pastor.
While acknowledging that it was "challenging" to film during the pandemic, Hartley declared the whole experience as "exciting" as he got to film with his family, and his church. If you watch the trailer of 'The Rev', you'll notice that there's never a dull moment in the Hartley family. We asked the pastor to tell us a bit about his family, and how he met his beautiful wife- Stacey. "My wife and I met in high school!! She visited my church when she was 15, and I was 16. She saw me sing and was mesmerized ever since! Haha! We have two children - Jordan is a full-time stay-at-home musician and Judea is a full-time stay-at-home student!" joked Hartley.
Through this fun, light-hearted series, Richard Hartley is hoping to spread the message that life is all about "family, love, and unity". He declared, "Love wins!" before ending the interview.
'The Rev' is all set to premiere on Thursday, January 21, at 10.30 pm ET/PT on USA Network.