Interview with Dave Hartney

In a short period of time, Dave Hartney has racked up an impressive list of accomplishments for a new Country artist. He has opened for the likes of Dallas Smith, High Valley, Tebey, Black Jack Billy, Aaron Pritchett, Dierks Bentley, Jerrod Neimann, Thompson Square, and many more. He has played renowned events including Sunfest, Rockin’ River Musicfest, Merritt Mountain Musicfest, The Cloverdale Rodeo, the 2010 Olympics, and at numerous fundraisers, like Gone Country. Dave’s live show is sure to impress and win over new fans.

Dave grew up in North Vancouver, and re-connected with a childhood love of country music while attending the University of Saskatchewan. There, he frequently visited live music bars and watched artists passing through town, including a young Dierks Bentley performing at the campus bar. Dave began to write songs of his own on his downtime at school, and after returning to Vancouver, he began playing guitar for various artists and industry friends including Karen Lee Batten, Damian Marshall and Bobbi Smith and created his former band. One of Dave’s personal highlights was later opening for Dierks, one summer in Merritt, BC. Dave grew up influenced by classic rockers and songwriters like Tom Petty, and more recently of guitar-slinging country starts like Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, and Travis Tritt. His sound, a mix of modern country and southern rock, is being recognized as Dave was recently selected as a 2015 Top 5 BCCMA Artist Discovery Competition finalist, and his songwriting was previously recognized with a CCMA Songwriters’ Showcase. He was nominated for the 2016 Ray McAuley Horizon award by the BCCMA.

Dave recentlyreleased his first single “Party Lights". The song was recorded with producer Jeff Johnson (George Canyon, Wes Mack).