The strongest tree grows from a single seed
~ from Take a Stand, by David Harley

A song is a story put to music…
~ David Harley

David Harley

is a traditional songwriter and performer whose eclectic mix of genres takes the listener on a journey thru the evolution of modern popular music. From growing up in the Bay Area in the 60s, he was exposed to a multitude of world-class musical influences in “The Golden Age” of Folk, Rock, Pop, R&B, Blues and American Roots music that are evident in his diverse and extensive catalog of material. But like other innovative music artists, it is his ability to borrow and synthesize the stuff that made these musical genres classics into his own unique and original interpretations and compositions that sets him apart. We invite you to share in an adventure of discovering a strong “new” voice in the music world that is rooted firmly in the glory of our shared musical past and partake in the celebration of the sounds of our times that is the music of David Harley.

A Bit of History

David first came to the local music scene’s attention by performing original songs in venues throughout the bay area and writing songs for and collaborating with other aspiring artists like Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac.

Dave Harley! My favorite songwriter…!
~ Stevie Nicks, back stage at Day on the Green Concert,
1976, Oakland CA (after seeing Dave for the first time in many years)

By the mid-70s, he was scouted by ABC Records whose roster included Steely Dan and Tom Petty. Despite being scheduled for a demo budget and anticipated signing, the deal with ABC was thwarted at the last minute by the acquisition and restructuring of the company by MCA Records. But like most genuinely inspired musicians, he continued to create his art despite the inevitable setbacks and to write and record great music over the years with some of the Bay Area’s best pop songwriters. Many of the songs we hear now on his recent albums come from these earlier years of musical exploration which just now are bearing the fruit of their original inspirations.

“Best Singer-Songwriter In The Bay Area”
~ Bob Ohlsson, production and mastering engineer, Motown Records,
after hearing Dave’s song Rising Son in the early 1970s

Fast-forward

“You got to go through it to get to it.”
~ Anonymous, circa late 1960s

“Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”
~ John Lennon

Despite the demands of “making a living” on his day jobs, David started refocusing on music in his later life. Enabled by the technology of our day in a home studio, and with a still growing back catalog of material from newer compositions, he has crafted his first two album releases. These are The River of Life in early 2020, and the just
completed Winds of Fortune.

Since his initial release in 2020, David has consistently ranked in the top ten of singer/songwriters in the Bay Area on Reverb Nation.

His music is available on all major vendor sites including Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon where you can stream or purchase the albums. You are also invited to visit his website: DavidHarleyMusic.com to enjoy his latest two album releases and videos.

From Winds of Fortune, David in his Out of Orbit video.