Harlis Sweetwater

Harlis Sweetwater is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Huntington Beach, California. His eclectic style of blues, soul, and rock and roll has provided him the opportunity to share the stage with artists such as George Thorogood, Los_Lobos|Los Lobos, and Ace Frehley. He is a nationally-touring artist who, in addition to playing crowded venues, has also headlined festivals nationwide. He has also played notable festivals such as the Flagstaff Blues Festival, headlined by North Mississippi Allstars.</br>
Sweetwater’s first group was the soul band Barrelhouse. The band was described in OC Weekly as “one of the few—perhaps only—original soul music acts working the County. Led by deep-voiced, broad-shouldered, sideburn-sporting Harlis Sweetwater, the group played honest-to-goodness, sweaty, soul music, the Stax/Memphis music of Aretha, Otis, and Wicked Wilson.” The same publication named Barrelhouse #33 on a list of the 129 greatest Orange County bands of all time.
== Harlis Sweetwater Band ==
After Barrelhouse, Sweetwater formed The Harlis Sweetwater Band, a band that leaned heavily toward the blues but also incorporated soul and rock and roll sounds. The band's first album Lights Goin' Down was released in 2013. In reviewing Harlis Sweetwater Band's 2016 album Put it in Dirt, SugarBuzz Magazine described Sweetwater as "a guy who somehow blasted out of a swampland massacre and landed in the middle of the Orange County." The band recorded three albums, all of which cracked the iTunes Top 200 best-selling blues albums. Those albums included songs that charted in the iTunes Top 200 Blues Songs in the U.S., Ireland, New Zealand, and Malta. The single “All Tore Up” reached #64 on the iTunes singer-songwriter chart.
== Solo Career ==
Sweetwater has moved on to become a solo artist based in blues, soul, and rock and roll, but with the opportunity for more creative freedom. As part of his solo career, Sweetwater has worked closely and recorded a single with David Hidalgo of Los Lobos on guitar and John Doe of X on bass. The single is entitled “Won’t Be Satisfied” and is scheduled to be released before the end of 2021.
Notable singles released in late 2024 include "In The Stillness," "The Same Way," "Midnight Lover," and "Oro." These tracks highlight his ability to blend traditional blues with contemporary sounds, appealing to both long-time fans and new listeners. His single "Won't Be Satisfied," released in 2023, also received positive feedback.
As of January 15, 2025, Harlis Sweetwater is preparing for the "Heart of the Eternal Tour," set to start in February 2025 alongside AJ Croce.
== Discography ==
* 1994 - Soul Pimps and Blues Pushers (Barrelhouse)</br> 
* 1996 - Peach (Barrelhouse)</br> 
* 1999 - 13 Sonic Splendors (Barrelhouse)</br> 
* 2012 - Lights Goin’ Down (Harlis Sweetwater Band)</br> 
* 2016 - Put It in Dirt (Harlis Sweetwater Band)</br> 
* 2017 - Holler, Stomp, and Growl (Harlis Sweetwater Band)</br> 
* 2019 - Set Me Free 
* 2019 - Heavy Mountains 
* 2020 - I’m Free 
* 2020 - I Don’t Care What You Think 
* 2021 - Diesel, Dirt and Spit 
* 2022 - Mexican Rose 
* 2022 - Down To The Delta 
* 2023 - Won’t Be Satisfied 
* 2023 - Midnight Lover 
* 2024 - Hey Mamacita V1 
* 2024 - Hey Mamacita (summer version) 
* 2024 - When I’m With You 
* 2024 - Oro 
* 2024 - The Same Way 
* 2024 - In The Stillness 
 
Category:American singer-songwriters
Category:American guitarists