Following the release of his album El Camino Sierra last year, Los Angeles singer-songwriter-guitarist David Haerle found himself still inspired by the album’s namesake road and the geography that surrounds it (Highway 395, or The Sierra Highway, running through the Owens Valley of California alongside the High Sierras and The White Mountains). He ended up writing a song of the same name after the album’s release.
“El Camino Sierra” song and video out today, January 26:
“The song is about important places in one’s life where formative memories have been made with loved ones, some of whom may now be gone,” David shares. “It is about mourning and honoring them and our own journey toward acceptance and healing. I return to such places so that I can make new memories and treasure the old ones. Where are our now gone loved ones? Are they aware of our visitations to these sacred places we once shared? Can they see us? Can they hear us? I’d like to think yes. But regardless, such pilgrimages are, for me, about a desire for connection. Connection with, in the end, what matters most: those we love and cherish.”
The track was written and produced by David himself, alongside co-producer and frequent collaborator Jose Salazar. David, who plays lead vocal, electric and acoustic rhythm guitars, is joined by his longtime band--Carson Cohen (bass, backing vocals), Reade Pryor (drums, percussion), Ken Belcher (electric guitar, backing vocals) and Jose Salazar (keyboards).
David’s music traverses many genres--singer-songwriter, rock, pop and Americana--with words inspired by his life, experiences, people and observations of all that surround him. His previous album releases, 2023’s El Camino Sierra, 2020’s Death Valley and 2018’s Garden of Edendale, have all been well reviewed amongst many notable music publications including: Billboard, American Songwriter, Goldmine, Under The Radar, Glide Magazine, Rock and Roll Globe, Americana Highways, Elmore Magazine and others.
David Haerle grew up surrounded by music and the music business. His father Martin emigrated from Germany to pursue a dream of working in the country music industry and co-founded the independent label CMH Records (Country Music Heritage). His maternal grandparents co-owned the first full time country music radio station in Nashville, WENO. The King of Country Music, Roy Acuff, took him onstage at the Grand Ole’ Opry before a full house when he was 9 years of age. After picking up the guitar at age 13, he played in rock and alternative new wave bands during the 80’s, before becoming a music agent at ICM. Then his father passed away suddenly and at just 24 years-old, David took over the family business and has served as president of CMH Records, now CMH Label Group, ever since.
But David never stopped playing guitar. In 2011, he decided to record and release his first full length album. He began in earnest and the project would ultimately take him roughly 7 years to finish. Garden of Edendale was released in the summer of 2018. His second album, Death Valley, was released in the spring of 2020. His third album, El Camino Sierra, was released in April 2023.
His fourth LP is set to be released in summer 2024.
