Dean Harlem Talks New Jersey Roots, Love Of Country Music, His Upcoming Single, & More

They say “Not all who wander are lost” — some are just looking for inspiration to pen the next timeless track.

One such rising singer-songwriter, New Jersey native Dean Harlem, lends his troubadour spirit in every note of his craft, following in the footsteps of his guitar pickin’ idols.  

Despite his Northeastern upbringing, Harlem stirs traditional Americana and country sound in the proverbial pot of music production. Both genres are influenced by his travels: from Texas, to California, to New England, to Nashville- there are few regions he has yet to explore. 

Since his debut EP Asbury Park dropped in 2019, the artist has continued to hone his sound. Labeled “alternative folk”, his music has morphed a bit since then. With a new EP in the works –– Red Oak Hill — Harlem is set to release the lead single from it, “Keep You,” this Friday April 19th. 

A song about keeping fleeting memories alive, the single features his charismatically clear and honest vocals, as he croons, “I can bottle time with all these words and rhymes / That’s how I’ll keep you.”

The coming months have much in store for the Nashville-based songsmith. Along with the impending EP, he also recently secured a residency at Eric Church’s bar, Chief’s on Broadway, where he will be performing every Wednesday and Sunday night through the summer, along with other gigs interspersed.

We got to chat with Harlem to learn more about his roots, music trajectory, upcoming EP, and more.

What inspired you to get into making traditional Americana and country music, and how might your roots in New Jersey influenced such a path?

Words are #1 for me. I think traditional country, Americana, blues music at its best is poetry put to music. It started with Dylan for me and then Hank Williams and just exploring everything in between.

New Jersey influenced me this way: I vehemently rejected everything NJ because as a child I had this idea of what America is. I’m a son of Ukrainian immigrants, my household was Eastern European, I grew up speaking Russian. I learned about American culture from TV and books like Huckleberry Finn.

As a teen I thought that America was banjos, fiddles, cowboy hats, rural dirt roads and southern accents. So after high school I hitchhiked the entire country for a year; I went and found all that stuff. But then I came back to NJ, and realized it is possibly the most American place in America. It’s the greatest melting pot of cultures and a landscape of people doing anything they can to get ahead or just survive. I think the American Dream is alive in New Jersey more than anywhere else. The light of hope burns brightest in what seems the most darkest and graceless of places.

So to answer this question, NJ influenced me to leave home in search of a more authentic American experience only to find that it was right in front of me all along. 

You recently announced your current residency at Eric Church’s bar, Chief’s, on Broadway in Nashville. How did you land this gig and what are you most looking forward to?

I got the gig by just being in the right place at the right time. My buddy Jake Neuman got a gig there and he recommended me to the booker who said he loved my music and signed me up for 2 nights a week. Every Sunday 7-10 pm and Wednesday 5:30-9 pm. I’m looking forward to doing something different on Broadway.

They told me they want me to do as many original songs as possible. I think Eric Church is really trying to do something authentic and different on Broadway. The room I’m playing in is on the second floor. The show is called ‘Friendly Shadows’ like the lyrics from “To Beat The Devil” by Kris Kristofferson. The venue lends itself to a more intimate performance where people can just chill and enjoy the song.

Sure, a lot of people show up that want to hear someone read the lyrics off of their phones while singing the same cover songs they play everywhere else on Broadway. But I got the green light from the Chiefs’ team to do my own thing. I hope that Chiefs stays the course and starts bringing Broadway back a little closer to what it used to be when Willie and Waylon were hanging out there, a place for artists singing original songs that were challenging audiences and not just pandering to get the biggest tips. I’m proud of this gig and really appreciate the opportunity they are giving me.

So far it’s been a fun opening weekend and nobody got hit by falling chairs.

You’ve got your latest single, “Keep You,” dropping April 19th. Can you tell us a bit about the inspiration and influence behind this track?

I wrote this song during my first tour in Ireland. I met so many cool musicians and people in my travels. Had a brief fling with a French girl in Galway. I was sitting in my room at the hostel I was staying in and thinking about how quickly moments pass us by, and as much as we want to hold on to them we must keep living and moving forward. I wrote “Keep You” as a way to hold on to that moment. This song is influenced by the songs “Romeo and Juliet” by Mark Knopfler and “Galway Girl” by Steve Earle.

What else can you tell us about the other tracks on the upcoming EP? Are there any common themes or motifs throughout?

I don’t think there’s a common theme, not intentionally at least. They’re all having to do with relationships with different women. But I don’t really count that as a theme. One thing I like about this EP is that each song is different. It has a traditional country song, a ballad, a rocker and a traveling song. These songs all have a special meaning to me but they’re all like orphans that didn’t have a home on any other albums so I put them together into this EP. I recorded these songs because I wanted something to release before I put out my debut full length. 

When reflecting back on this EP in ten years, what will you remember most fondly about the writing and/or recording process? Any notable hurdles, achievements, or special moments?

I will remember that this was just a really fun process. Meeting Brett Ryan Stewart, my producer and owner of Wirebird Productions where we recorded. Meeting the band and spending two days hashing out these songs.

It was such a fun and creative process. If I had more money I would just be recording all of the time. My biggest hurdle was producing “Keep You.” This was the one song that I had no idea what to do with musically, and I called upon Brett and the band to step up and help me turn it into something, and they did a phenomenal job.

How has your sound changed or evolved (if at all) since the release of your debut EP, Asbury Park, in 2019?

Asbury Park was recorded live in one day with no drums and a group of close musician friends helping me out, and it has a more homemade sound. This new album, however, was recorded with some of the best session musicians around Nashville in a very professional studio with drums. The sound is bigger because I have a full band. It’s my most professional sounding work to date.

What does a dream gig look like for you?

At the moment, realistically, the biggest dream gig I could ask for is American Aquarium or Steve Earle calling me and asking me to go on tour with them as an opener. But if I could have any dream gig, it would probably be to headline a sold out show at the Ryman in Nashville. 

If you could have a drink, a smoke, and/or a meal with any living idol of yours, who would it be and why? What would you want to talk about?

Rambling Jack Elliot. I’d just want to listen to him talk about any of his stories from his life. He’s seen it all. I would love to hear everything about his travels with Woody Guthrie. I’ve talked to him before and he’s such a cool, down to earth dude. I felt very comfortable chatting with him. It was like talking to my grandpa. 

Aside from writing and playing music, do you have a secret/special skill or hobby people might not be aware of?

I keep honeybees! I started beekeeping a year ago as a hobby and became obsessed with it. Honeybees are very interesting and I love doing what I can to keep them healthy and prosperous. I also love eating honey that came straight from my own hives and made from local flowers.

What else might you have planned for 2024 musically speaking or otherwise?

I’m doing a three week tour of Ireland in August. It will be my third and biggest tour there yet. I’m aiming for 10-15 shows and will be busking on days I don’t have any gigs.

Featured photo by Corrie Jones