Dan Harrison is a country music artist who resides in Nashville, Tennessee. Music was a massive part of Harrison’s childhood, but not country music. Since moving to Music City, Harrison has quickly established himself as a respected member of the Nashville songwriting community. In addition to being a talented songwriter, the singer/songwriter is also a skilled guitar player. I saw Harrison’s potential four years ago after seeing him perform at the legendary Whiskey Jam, and he is well on his way to achieving it. Please keep reading to learn more about Harrison and his music.
A Childhood Full of Music, but Not Country
You may wonder how someone who did not listen to much Country Music growing up moved to Nashville to play Country Music. Harrison said, “Music has always been a part of my life. I have been singing for as long as I can remember, and I began playing guitar when I was around ten or eleven. While I played some other instruments before that, I took to guitar. But I always wanted to make music a career. However, growing up in suburban Philadelphia, I did not listen to much country music. It wasn’t what kids were into, and my parents didn’t grow up with country music either. But we listened to some crossover acts like The Eagles. They are one of my favorite bands. Some rock guys like Springsteen greatly influence today’s country sound.”
As Dan Harrison got older, he was exposed to more country music. The Pennsylvania native said, “I remember seeing “Walk the Line” when I was twelve or thirteen, which was one of my first exposures to Country Music. After seeing that movie, my dad and I got into Johnny Cash, but it was an anomaly because I still wasn’t listening to any other country music. In the nineties, my mom loved Shania Twain and the occasional Faith Hill and LeAnn Rimes.”
Even though Harrison was not a fan of country music growing up, his passion was playing music. Harrison said, “Even though I wasn’t listening to country, I always wanted to make music a career. I’d play guitar and sing, and I had written some songs but needed to be more experienced. I went to college down south at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. People listened to Luke Bryan, early FGL, Sam Hunt, and Eric Church when I was in school there. So it was during college that I was exposed to the country sound and scene.”
Dan Harrison Goes Country
I have always found it interesting that male country artists will cite different people who sparked their love for country music. Unlike younger female artists, whom many cite, Taylor Swift. So Harrison said, “I had a girlfriend booking the shows on campus at Wake Forest, and she brought Josh Thompson the fall of my first year. Thompson is a huge songwriter in town, but he had an artist project at the time, which was terrific. Thompson’s record was one of the first country records I listened to from top to bottom. So that gave me the country music bug. I was still playing and singing, but I thought maybe I should play country music.”
The wheels had started turning for Harrison at this point. His mind was now open to country music. The singer/songwriter continued, “I’d done some open mics, and after seeing me play, that same girlfriend suggested I do country music. Coming from suburban Philadelphia, it was something I had yet to consider. I was not a cowboy or Southerner, but I realized you don’t have to be. Plenty of successful people in country music are from other places. Like many genres, it goes back to the blues. The blues influence jazz, rock, country, and rockabilly. A lot of Hank Williams songs are like 12-bar blues with yodeling.”
Dan Harrison took an untraditional route to Nashville, but it just proves there is more than one path to follow. Harrison said, “My experiences in college opened my eyes to country music in a way they had never been before. I went back home for a couple of years after graduation, where I was trying to figure out my life. But I knew I had to get somewhere, so I briefly considered Los Angeles. I wanted to do country music, so I moved to Nashville and have never looked back. I love it here!
Harrison’s First Five Years in Nashville: A Look Back
Shortly after launching Undiscovered Nashville, I discovered Dan Harrison playing at Whiskey Jam, and I have followed his career ever since that night. This past year, Harrison played our live show as well. Nashville is called a ten-year town, and Dan is at the mid-point. The singer/songwriter said, “I love playing Whiskey Jam, and I love what Ward (Guenther) has done for the music community in Nashville. He is synonymous with live music and the Nashville brand. It has been an honor to play that stage as an artist myself and as a supporting musician for other artists. I have been fortunate to play most venues in town, except the Ryman and the Opry. But I have played The Bluebird and The Listening Room, so I am grateful.”
In the five years Dan Harrison has been in Nashville, he has checked many boxes on his career bucket list, but the best is yet to come. Harrison reflected on his time in Nashville. He said, “Day to Day, you focus on the details, but lately, I have been reflecting because I recently hit the fifth anniversary of moving to Nashville. I also turned 30, so it’s milestone after milestone. When I think about who I was five years ago, there has been so much growth and accomplishments that I am proud of. I still want to do many things but am five years closer to this dream. While I have come a long way, I am not resting on my laurels. There is much more work to do and so much I am excited about.”
Talent v. Luck
You will find highly talented singers and songwriters every night in Music City. Dan Harrison is one of these singer/songwriters. There are so many songwriter shows hosted at various venues around town. I have sat in the audience amazed many times, and it leads me to wonder why they have yet to be signed to a label. But talent alone isn’t enough. Sometimes, you also need a little luck. But Harrison said, “I think you need luck every time. Every success story you hear of talented folks who just caught a break. But hard, strategic, and intelligent work can create luck. I hope the more time I put in, the more I show up and release songs, the more shows I play, and the more songs I write, the more things will happen.
Perseverance Leads to Growth
The best advice I have ever received regarding songwriting is to write for the garbage can, which means only some things you write will be good, but keep writing. The singer/songwriter talked about the importance of perseverance in songwriting. Harrison said, “The songs I write now are not in the same universe as what I was writing when I moved to town, in the sense that the old stuff sucked. Before moving to Nashville, I hadn’t co-written.
The singer/songwriter continued, “Some people have a natural affinity for songwriting, and others may never get it. But songwriting can be developed from wherever you begin. How much you improve depends on how disciplined you are. There are parallels between sports and the music business; both take a lot of discipline and practice. You must show up daily, even when you don’t want to. There will be days you are on and off, but you must power through it. Rest is essential because songwriting can be emotionally draining. Plenty of times, we bang our heads against the wall trying to finish a section of a song, and then after we leave, someone texts the perfect line. So, finding a balance is vital.”
Dan Harrison Stands Out from the Crowd
Since Dan Harrison has been in Music City, I have noticed the growth in his music. Among male artists, it can be challenging to stand out from the crowd, but Harrison does. Dan’s music is not cookie-cutter, but it’s still commercially viable. Harrison sounds different from what you hear on the radio, which is a positive in my book. The Pennsylvania native said, “You want something viable, but not something you’ve heard before. That’s the tricky thing about country music.”
Harrison continued, “Interestingly, I was talking to someone else about this recently. Country is unlike any other genre in writing for radio, where you want to be 90% familiar and 10% different. So, I appreciate you saying that because that’s the goal for writers and artists in town.”
Behind the Music
2023 brought three singles from Dan Harrison. The new music brings a new level of authenticity from Harrison. The singer/songwriter said “Crazy About Country” was released in March. It tells the story somewhat of how I got into country music. Country music is three chords and the truth. But to me, there are two types of truth: the truth of who I am and a more profound sense of life and its meaning. I was a philosophy major in college, so I resonate with those songs about life. Those are the songs that make people listen. So “Crazy About Country” started telling my story, which continued with the release of “We Went South,” telling the story of how I moved to Nashville.”
Toward the end of 2023, Dan Harrison released “So Far So Good.” This single was a duet featuring Sofie Lynn. Harrison said, “So Far So Good” tells my story of how literally every relationship I’ve been in has ended due to long distance. When we wrote the song, I knew it had to be a duet; it is the first one I’ve been a part of.”
Dan Harrison Releases “Alameda”
Dan Harrison has started 2024 with a beautiful new single, “Alameda.” Harrison wrote the song with Andrew Capra, who was also the producer. For those who have lost loved ones, you may relate to “Alameda.” Harrison said, “We wrote the song about my grandma on my mom’s side of the family, who passed away on December 25, 2020, at ninety-three. I was blessed to have known her most of my life, but after her death, I realized there was so much I didn’t know about her life.”
“Alemeda” is a heartfelt song about wishing you had more time to know someone better. The singer/songwriter continued, “My grandma never talked about her life, and I never thought to ask. I knew she was born in Alameda, California, near San Francisco. I began writing this song the day she passed as a letter to her, wishing I could return to where she grew up and have her show me around. She could tell me who she was before she was, just grandma. My dad’s mom is still living, and I constantly talk to her to learn more about her life. I hope this song resonates with anyone who has lost someone they wish they could have more time with and inspires them to reach out to someone before they no longer have the chance.”
What does 2024 hold for Dan Harrison?
2024 will be a busy year for Dan Harrison as more new music is coming. “Alameda” is the first of seven or eight songs coming out this year. Harrison said, “I should have releases every six to eight weeks. But I want to lean into getting more shows to promote these releases. By the end of the year, I will have a solid repertoire of songs available. I believe in every song as they are true to my experiences, and I am excited to share them with the world.”
My Thoughts
Dan Harrison is a talented singer-songwriter scratching the surface of his potential. A solid set of songs enhances his ability to tour more. The more people see Harrison perform and hear his music, the more his popularity will continue to grow. I am excited to hear all the new music Harrison is releasing this year, and I hope you are, too. In the meantime, listen to “Alameda” and his other music on Spotify, Apple Music, or your favorite streaming service.
You can follow Dan’s journey on Facebook @DanHarrison and Instagram and TikTok @danharrisonmusic
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