Meet Duane Harlick | Vocalist, songwriter, guitarist and producer.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Duane Harlick and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Duane, we’d love to hear what makes you happy.
I don’t think anything can make a person happy. I believe being happy is a choice, and can be a difficult one. There are many things that bring me joy, like the closeness with my wife, or a hug from my kids or grandkids, or seeing my sons becoming such great husbands and fathers. Having a great show, or having someone reach out to me regarding a song of mine that has touched them deeply brings me immense joy. But all that joy is momentary and fleeting. Being happy is the result of actively focusing on the blessings in your life and drowning out the negative voices that are constantly clamoring for attention. Happy requires constant effort and determination, self-discipline. I have to be the ever encouraging voice in my head reminding me of the positive impact and outcomes that I’ve contributed to through my works. As an artist, there is a constant inner battle between the negative voices and affirmation. My friend, Jeff, once asked me “why do we hate ourselves so much” . I told him, “Because our “selves” are the voices constantly berating us, questioning our value, telling us we suck. Who would love that person??”

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a songwriter, and singer, and guitarist. I write songs for myself and many others who have recorded them, so that leaves me with a catalog of vastly different styles and songs. I love to write songs for the sheer joy of finishing something that is good, solid, sing-able, relatable, but in doing so, I don’t try to direct my songs into any particular genre. Although I try to maintain some consistency in my album projects, the songs can sway widely stylistically – and I don’t really mind. However, that’s somewhat of a challenge from a marketability standpoint. One of the first questions I get is “what genre” or “what type of music” do you offer? From a catalog standpoint, that’s impossible to answer. From an album standpoint I can begin to narrow it down, maybe to a half dozen categories, but it’s almost never a clear answer. I do get comments like, “Man, what a great song!! But where would I put it??”

So for me, it’s simply about writing solid songs. I spent a little time in Nashville where I happened upon a guy named Rivers Rutherford. Listening to him deliver his songs was the ultimate lesson in writing perfection and performing excellence. I came home and began re-writing my entire pile of songs. Rivers basically showed me where the bar was, and let me know that although I wasn’t terribly far below it, I was, in fact, below it and I had a lot of work to do.

Through the years, I’ve won a lot of awards, had a few small “hits” and have had all kinds of accolades from people at all levels, and that’s all been wonderful. Respect of your peers is a humbling thing, and I cherish it. But I’m probably most proud of my kids asking me to write their wedding songs. For them to have that amount of confidence in me and my songwriting was the greatest joy ever. I had simple instructions: “Write a song for our first dance, And we don’t want to hear it. Not until we’re standing in the middle of the dance floor at our wedding.” No pressure there. The songs came out beautifully. It’s easy to write when you’re immersed in, and attached to, the subject matter.

As for what sets me apart, there are probably a number of things, I’m a quality vocalist and guitarist, and I can cover a lot of ground there. As for songwriting, I believe I’m a strong storyteller. I work hard to infuse deeply emotional and engaging stories into my songs. I really enjoy bringing people to laughter – or tears.

On the subject of how I got to where I am, honestly, in a way I’m really no further along than when I started. Unfortunately, music is just that way for most of us. Imagine spending your entire life dedicated to perfecting a craft that in the end pays literally nothing. That is songwriting. Songwriter used to be a vocation. Not so much any more. I believe I’m an exponentially better and more proficient songwriter than I was when I first started, but I still earn the same amount as I did when I wrote my first song in junior high. As a musician, gigs pay the same as they did 40 years ago, but today there are far less of them. And then there’s AI. I’m afraid that’s going to continue to erode opportunity within the songwriting, video and graphic design fields. It really comes down to a simple truth. I write because I have to. It’s in my DNA. It is literally what I am. I’ll never stop, never quit. If I’ve had to overcome anything, it’s the knowledge and realization that, sadly, I’ll likely never make a dime at this, much less a living. Thankfully, people love what I do, so that keeps me going.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’d have to open with the Henry Ford/Greenfield Village. It’s a pretty stunning display of history. The Motown museum as well. The Detroit Zoo is a fine outing, and I’d like to show them the lakeshore as well. Perhaps have a meal at Hook out at the marina along Lake St. Clair. Perhaps take a run up toward lake Huron. There are a few quaint downtown areas in our area that are enjoyable to hang out in, lots of food and people. I might include Plymouth, Northville, Royal Oak or Rochester in that mix. Downtown Detroit has enjoyed a beautiful renaissance over the past 15 years. The city center is wonderful, as is the waterfront development. Unfortunately, the live music scene in the Detroit area is pretty thin these days. Mostly solo acts, open jams or open mic nights. However, with that said, the Cadieux Café is a standout for music, and the Blind Owl is a newer place that is showing promise bringing in music. When friends do come to town I’m often hard pressed to find an actual full band experience performing anywhere. You have to do some digging. I’ve long been hopeful that this turns around somehow.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Beyond my faith, there’s nothing bigger than the love and encouragement from my wife and kids. They’re the best. They would never ever let me quit. And they bring a crowd of friends to every show. They’re the main reason I’m still in the game.

Musically, I’m mostly self taught, so I never had any real “mentor” from a guitar/voice/writing perspective. Obviously I’ve learned a ton along the way from all kids of people just through curiosity and a passion for never ending growth.

However, Bill Baker was my music instructor in High School, and beyond music, he taught me probably the most important lesson on staying busy and working in the music business. It went something like this: “Duane, you have the makings of a pretty good guitar player, but you need to broaden out beyond this rock guitar thing. Learn as much as you can about the instrument, the many techniques and styles and different types of guitars, and get comfortable on all of them. That way, when your phone rings, no matter what they’re asking for you’re able to deliver it. You don’t need to be the best at everything, but you need to be authentic, well versed and able to deliver whatever the gig calls for. If you do that, you’ll always be working. Otherwise, you’ll just be a really good rock guitar player.” I took his advice and he was absolutely right.

Jeff Scott has also been a lifelong friend and supporter. His writing and performances set such a high bar. Having someone like him show faith in me puts me in a position where I have to commit myself to never let him down or in any way compromise that faith. Almost like someone who recommends you for a job, you feel a certain obligation to show excellence in all you do, to be a good reflection of them. In that way, pretty much everything I play, sing, write has to meet that bar whether I’m working with Jeff or with anyone else. No slouching.

Website: https://duaneallenharlick.net

Instagram: https://instagram.com/duaneharlick

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duaneharlick/

Twitter: https://x.com/duanespin

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/duane-allen-harlick

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/duaneband

Image Credits
Dean Haddad
Kathy Hyde Ruzan at Katzeyezz Photography
Gary Pahlow
Jane Cassisi