One thing that Nashville has no shortage of is super-talented singers, songwriters, and musicians. For every hit song you hear, somebody somewhere had to write and play the music, engineer and produce the song, and somehow get it to radio or streaming services.
Without these studio musicians, we wouldn't have the quality of music we have today. High Mountain Breezes (HMB) is a collection of Nashville’s finest studio musicians who create music for other artists. But sometimes, these musicians want to get together and make music for themselves and not just accompany a famous lead singer.
I spoke to songwriter and founder of High Mountain Breezes, Bruce Tarletsky. He explained, “We're not a band, so to speak, but we're a group of lifelong friends. We are not a commercial entity trying to create the next hit song.”
HMB describe themselves as somewhere between the 60s The Wrecking Crew and 70s The Immediate Family. They come together to reconnect, share in friendship, and God-given talent to create their own style of music together. Their studio sessions are heartfelt and spiritual experiences rather than typical work sessions. (Click here to see how they make music.)
Contributing Friends of the HMB include Bruce Tarletsky – Founder, Songwriter; Monty Lane Allen – Player, Artist, Songwriter, Co-writer of "Stars in Lahaina Tonight"; Bob Bullock – Producer/Engineer; Chris Leuzinger – Musician, Songwriter; Michael Spriggs – Musician; Duncan Mullins – Musician; Catherine Marx – Musician; Tim Crouch – Musician; Gwen Sebastian – Artist; Darrell Cole – Artist, Songwriter; Jan Buckingham – Songwriter; Janie West – Song Pitch Mentor; Mark Beckett – Musician; Jermaine Mondine – Musician; Dustin Soper – Marketing, Branding; Ed Gertler – Digital Distribution; Kyle Hershman – Engineer; and Chris Latham – Producer, Engineer.
The HMB family has worked with the who’s who of country music, including Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Alabama, Tanya Tucker, George Jones, Shania Twain, Pam Tillis, Emmylou Harris, and many more.
In 2021, HMB put out their first album, Daddy’s Margarita Rose. The record is a collection of original songs and a few covers like “Amarillo By Morning,” “Bridge Over Troubled Waters,” and the iconic “Will The Circle Be Unbroken.” Tarletsky along with Chris Leuzinger and Jimmy Mattingly wrote the title track during the pandemic.
Tarletsky enlightened, “‘Daddy’s Margarita Rose’ was based on a true story about my wife’s father’s passing. It's a song that tells the story, but it's also a tribute song to all the women and daughters out there who never got to say goodbye to their daddies.” The song rose to #1 on Europe’s Official Hotdisc Chart in 2022.
But his favorite off the first record is “Songwriter’s Heart” which is a tribute to one of Tarletsky’s favorite singer/songwriters, John Denver. Tarletsky became friends with one of John Denver’s backup singers, Conrad (Connie) Reeder and they found out that they were both at one of his concerts at Red Rocks in 1983. They collaborated to create this masterpiece of a song that honors Denver and eight other musicians.
“It’s one of the most favorite songs, I’ve ever written,” he confirmed.
In 2024, HMB released a new single, “Stars in Lahaina Tonight.” Tarletsky shared, “A place where beautiful sunsets and nightfall collide truly sums up the song's essence. It’s a song about lifetime love taken away, a sense of deep loss, and letting go, while finding peace in the paradise where it all began. We think it’s so awesome that our friends from around the world have embraced our sound and we hope “Stars in Lahaina Tonight” will continue this worldwide embracing of our music.”
They are currently working on a follow-up album which will include covers of Bobby Darin’s “Somewhere Beyond The Sea,” Dobie Grey’s “Drift Away,” and Bryan Adams, “Heaven.” Ron and Melissa Duval will cover Dan Seals and Marie Osmond’s “Meet Me In Montana.”
Besides music, HMB offers songwriter mentoring sessions for those just starting out or those looking to take their skills to the next level. You can learn the do's and don'ts on how to write a hit from the brain behind Alabama’s #1 smash "Jukebox in My Mind." HMB is also available to consult on other artists' projects, including helping with songwriter demos and artist sessions. Contact HMB for more information: highmountainbreezes.com/contact-us.
Even though High Mountain Breezes is not a touring band, their first album reached more than 700,000 streams, and “Stars in Lahaina Tonight” has surpassed 100,000 streams. The sentiment that drives HMB's collaborative efforts is to leave a unique legacy in music. Their songs reflect years of friendship and musical mastery. You know any songs and covers they bring us will become timeless treasures.
You can follow Bruce Tarletsky and High Mountain Breezes on their website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and all streaming services.
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Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Instagram, and X.