Writing from the perspective of someone who’s stayed close enough to home to watch it change, Los Angeles singer-songwriter and guitarist David Haerle draws from his personal history, familiar places, and the people around him in his latest release, ‘The Hills Of Silver Lake’.
Growing up in a household where music wasn’t just a creative pursuit, but also a means by which to make a living, Haerle’s sound is a blend of rock, country, and Americana, shaped by reflective storytelling and guitar-led arrangements.
Haerle’s father Martin emigrated from Germany, and co-founded the independent label CMH Records, initially operating from the garage and a side room of the family’s home in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, on the other side of the family, his grandparents co-owned Nashville country station WENO with Cal Young. Additionally, Roy Acuff – “The King Of Country Music” – brought 9 year old David onto the stage of the Grand Ole Opry.
David was given a Fender Stratocaster when he was about 13, and he played in rock and alternative new wave bands all through the 80s, before becoming a music
After receiving a Fender Stratocaster around age 13, Haerle played in rock and alternative new wave bands during the 1980s before becoming a music agent at ICM. With the sudden death of his father, Haerle took over the family business, still aged only 24. He’s served as president of CMH Records, now CMH Label Group, ever since, and writes, records and performs alongside his work there. His albums include ‘Garden of Edendale’ (2018), ‘Death Valley’ (2020), and ‘El Camino Sierra’, released in 2023.
David Haerle’s new single, ‘The Hills Of Silver Lake’, turns his perspective onto the Los Angeles neighbourhood where he grew up and continues to live. We follow along the familiar streets, homes, restaurants and other landmarks, spanning decades, and realising that a place can remain recognisable, despite nearly everything in it changing.
As Haerle explains, “‘The Hills of Silver Lake’ is about living your adulthood in the neighborhood you grew up in. I think it gives you a special view of life as it goes by”.
Haerle wrote the track, and co-produced it with frequent collaborator Jose Salazar, who also mixed the recording and engineered much of it. Haerle sings lead and plays electric and acoustic rhythm guitars, joined by Carson Cohen on bass, backing vocals and string arrangement; Ken Belcher on electric guitars; Reade Pryor on drums and percussion; Salazar on keyboards; Leah Zeger on violin and viola; and Derek Stein on cello.
The music video for ‘The Hills Of Silver Lake’, shot and edited by director Michael Pottle, unfolds like a kaleidoscope of memories, with shifting images of California, and a dreamlike sense of place to match the nostalgic tone of the song. Just like the song, the clip reflects the way familiar moments, streets, and landmarks can blur together when viewed across a lifetime.
Watch the music video for ‘The Hills Of Silver Lake’ below, and find out more about David Haerle and his music online on his official website, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
