Parenting Panel with Harley DiNardo

For Harley DiNardo, fatherhood has become one of the most important influences on both his life and his music. A father of three, Hudson, Melody and Lennon, he has discovered that having children did not pull him away from creativity. Instead, it gave him a different perspective on time, responsibility, love and what it means to keep pursuing the things that matter.

From writing music while his children napped to working late into the evening once they were asleep, Harley learned early on that creativity does not always come in perfect conditions. Parenthood taught him to make the most of the time available, while also giving him an entirely new emotional world to draw from. Songs that once centred largely on relationships and discovering himself began to encompass the deeper experiences of family, vulnerability, watching children grow and the inevitable passage of time.

One of the most personal examples is “Hudson’s Song,” written for his firstborn with longtime creative partner and guitarist Derrek Hawkins. Now that Hudson is 19, the song has become something more than a piece of music. It is a snapshot of a particular moment in their lives, preserving emotions and memories that can never quite be recreated.

We caught up with Harley to talk about the realities of balancing parenthood and a creative career, how his children have influenced his songwriting, the songs he has written for them, and why he hopes his own journey will encourage them to pursue their dreams.

How many children do you have? And what are their names and ages?

Three children: Hudson, Melody, and Lennon

Did you have fears or concerns about how becoming a parent would interfere with your artistic endeavors?

Yes, absolutely. But what I discovered was that I actually became more productive after having kids. Parenthood grounded me. I no longer felt the need to go out or have an active social life. I was happy being home with my kids, and I learned to make the most of the time I had. Even when my daughter was just a few months old, I found ways to keep creating. On the days I was watching her, I would rock her to sleep in her stroller while singing to her.

Once she was asleep, I’d put on my headphones and get to work on my music. Then, when the kids went to bed around 8 p.m., I had another three hours to write and record. My kids are a bit older now, so it's easier to find time, but I've always believed that you can make time for the things you love. Having children didn't take me away from my art. In many ways, it made me more focused and gave me even more to write about.

In what ways has parenthood helped your creativity, if any?

Parenthood has given me a whole new perspective on life, and that naturally finds its way into my songwriting. Before having kids, a lot of my writing came from relationships, heartbreak, and trying to figure out who I was. Those things are still there, but being a father has added a whole new layer of emotion and depth to my music.

You start seeing the world through your children's eyes. You experience a kind of love, vulnerability, and responsibility that you never really understood before. It also makes you more aware of how quickly time passes, which is something I find myself writing about more and more. I also want to show my kids how beautiful creativity is and how important it is to go after your dreams, no matter how old you are or what life throws at you. I want them to see that creating something from nothing, whether it's a song, a painting, or anything else, is one of the most rewarding things you can do.

My kids actually listen to my old albums now. Sometimes I'll walk past their rooms and hear one of my songs from White Light Motorcade or Closer playing, and it brings me so much joy. To know that something I created years ago is now part of their lives is pretty incredible.

I think parenthood has made me a more honest songwriter, but it's also given me a greater purpose. I'm not just chasing my own dreams anymore. I'm showing my kids that they can chase theirs, too.

How do you juggle your family and career?

It’s definitely a juggling act! I’ve learned to make the most of the time I have. When my kids were little, I’d work on music while they napped or after they went to bed. I remember rocking my daughter to sleep in her stroller while singing to her, then putting on my headphones and getting to work. You find the time if it’s important enough to you.

Now that my kids are older, I try to structure my days so I can be there for them while still making time to write, record, and perform. It doesn’t always go according to plan. Sometimes family needs to come first, and sometimes I have to be disciplined about protecting my creative time. I’ve learned that being a father and being an artist don’t have to compete with each other. They’re both a huge part of who I am.

Who’s your support system?

My support system is my family, my kids, and the close friends and musicians who’ve been part of my life for years. My longtime friend and guitarist Derrek Hawkins has been a creative partner through so many chapters of my life. Having people who believe in what I do, and who understand how important both my music and my children are to me, makes a real difference.

What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you became a parent? Any advice for others?

Know what you’re getting into! Before I became a parent, I pictured going on picnics with my kids, watching them frolic in the sand on a beach at sunset, and sharing all these beautiful, magical moments. And although those moments absolutely exist, parenthood is so much more than that. It’s emotional, it’s difficult, and it’s working your butt off every day trying to be the best dad you can be, often with no reward or recognition. Sometimes, after everything you do for them, they’ll even tell you to screw off! But that’s part of it. You love them unconditionally, even when they’re not particularly lovable in that moment.

My advice would be to understand that parenthood isn’t just about raising children; it’s about growing alongside them. You’re going to make mistakes, you’re going to question yourself, and there will be days when you feel like you have absolutely no idea what you’re doing.

But those beautiful moments, the ones you imagined before becoming a parent, are unmatched. There is nothing in the world quite like them. And when you look back, you realize that even the simplest moments were some of the most extraordinary times of your life.

Do your children inspire / inform your music?

Absolutely. My children have inspired some of my most personal songs. Becoming a father changed the way I see the world. Suddenly, life wasn't just about me anymore. It was about these little people who depended on me, and all the love, fear, responsibility, and joy that come with that.

I wrote "Hudson's Song" for my firstborn when he was little. It captures a time when he was my whole world, and I was experiencing fatherhood for the first time. Now he's 19, and listening to that song takes me right back to those days. I'm so grateful I captured those feelings in music because you can never get those moments back.

My children continue to inspire me in different ways as they grow. Parenthood isn't always easy. There are beautiful moments, difficult moments, and times when you question whether you're getting any of it right. All of those emotions find their way into my songwriting.

And there's something incredibly special about hearing my kids playing my old records in their rooms. I want them to see that creativity is a beautiful thing and that you can continue pursuing your dreams no matter what stage of life you're in.

Have you ever written a song for or about your kids?

Yes, I’ve written several songs for my kids, but the first was “Hudson’s Song,” which I wrote for my firstborn son, Hudson, with my best friend and guitarist, Derrek Hawkins.

Looking back, it was such an amazing, simpler time because it was just him. He was my whole world. I remember walking him to school, wondering if he would make friends, how the world would accept him, and what kind of person he would become.

There was so much love, hope, and wonder in those everyday moments. Now Hudson is 19, I have two daughters, and life is a whole lot busier. Sometimes I find myself going back to those early years and missing the simplicity of it all. The love, the passion, the warmth of that time before life became so crazy.

I'm so glad I was able to capture exactly how I was feeling back then in “Hudson’s Song.” When I listen to it now, it takes me right back to those days when it was just the two of us, and the whole world seemed to revolve around this little boy.

Hudson’s Song Link

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