Hey folks!

This is Harley, and last we spoke I was a singer songwriter living in Seattle, Washington. I haven’t sent an email to this list in nearly two years. My name is still Harley, but just about everything else has changed. I’m now a Cellist and String Arranger living in Ashland, Oregon.

If getting a monthly-ish newsletter from me doesn’t sound like something you’re interested in anymore (no worries, we’ve all changed a ton these last couple years) then just hit the unsubscribe button, or let me know and I’ll remove you. No hard feelings.

For those of you who would like to stick around, I’d love to give you a bit of an update. Last time I emailed you, I was an angsty mess after releasing a single that didn’t rocket me to fame and fortune the way I had naively hoped it might. In that email I said that I was putting all of my public music efforts on hold. And I quote…

“I don't know how long this is for, and the not knowing is a part of what I need. Could be a month, could be a year. I like not knowing.” I went on to say, “I'm excited to take a moment to turn this into a business instead of a dream.”

Here we are 21 months later. I have a business making music. It worked. Turns out the not knowing was as helpful as I thought it might be. It’s been quite a journey though.

Shortly after sending that email, I set out to build a business producing music for other artists. I talked with hundreds of musicians, worked on getting clients, and completely failed. But while everyone was telling me they wouldn’t hire me as a producer, they kept asking about hiring me as a cellist. It was a complete accident, but through my failure as a producer I built a business as a cellist and string arranger.

So that’s how the cello thing happened. As for a small town in Southern Oregon…

My partner got a job at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. She grew up coming here, and it was what made her fall in love with and want to pursue theater. It was a dream come true, so we jumped at it. I got a studio set up in our home here, and I get to spend my days recording strings for people’s projects.

Here’s a sample of some of the work I’ve done over the last year: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Rq6h4KqBPNmfmR5xnbRwg?si=244bcab0cae9405b

And here’s a video of me getting really excited about a recent project I worked on: https://www.instagram.com/p/CkzLDskr9Ct/

There is a ton more that I’ve recorded that has yet to be released, and that is part of what I’m excited to share with you moving forward. My plan is to highlight some of the work I’ve been doing, share a song or two that’s been inspiring me, and fill you in a bit about my life making music here in Ashland. It’s cute. I watch deer and hummingbirds from my studio window while I record. Life is good.

I hope that where ever you are, these last 21 months have been kind to you as well. Some of the names here are people that I haven’t talked to since that last email, and I would love to hear how you’ve been. Feel free to hit reply and say hello. Or unsubscribe. Either way, I appreciate each of you.

Talk soon,

Harley