Folk

Harley became part of the folk song revival of the mid-1960s.  He was inspired by a trip to New York’s Greenwich Village coffeehouses in 1965 with his good friend John Munro, and to the Berkeley Folk Festival with his performing partner Russell Precious in 1966.  They performed as “Russ and Harley” at numerous folk song venues between 1965 and 1967.

Rock

In 1967, Harley and Russell joined the rock band the French Hand Laundry. The next year they formed their own band Pacific Nation in which Harley was lead singer and played electric guitar and organ.  They played frequently at the Retinal Circus on Davie Street, Vancouver’s premier venue for the new San Francisco style psychedelic music.

Sing-along Leader

Harley has led hundreds of sing-alongs at political and social gatherings over the years, including memorable after hours gatherings at BC Teachers’ Federation meetings during the 1970s and 1980s.

Jewish Music & Liturgy

During the 1980s and 1990s, Harley studied Jewish liturgical music with several noted cantorial teachers, has led congregations in synagogue services, including High Holidays for over forty years, and composed original prayer melodies that are still used today. In addition to leading services at his home Vancouver congregations Or Shalom and Beth Israel, Harley has been a guest cantor in North Vancouver, Victoria, Bellingham, Hawaii, and Eureka, California. Harley has recorded teaching guides for leaders of High Holiday and Shabbat services and now mentors young aspiring liturgical leaders.

Teaching

Harley was a music teacher in Vancouver public schools from 1976 to 1990, where he taught intermediate-age students to play instruments (ukulele, recorder, guitar, xylophone, double bass, piano, and percussion), then put the instruments together to form a “classroom orchestra” using largely a folk-song based curriculum.  He also directed school musicals with over 300 students.  He later taught music education at the University of British Columbia during the 1990s.  Harley also sang for ten years in the tenor section of the 150-voice Vancouver Bach Choir.

Songs of Love and Humanity:  Folk Songs of Fifty Years Volume 1  
Harley Rothstein | vocals & guitar
Produced by Harley Rothstein & John Shepp

Songs of Love and Humanity:  Folk Songs of Fifty Years Volume 2 
Harley Rothstein | vocals & guitar
Produced by Harley Rothstein & John Shepp

Modim: Songs of Spirit & Gratitude 
Harley Rothstein | vocals & guitar
Produced by Harley Rothstein & John Shepp