Denis Hulett is the primary songwriter for Mostly Blue. His musical path began in the late 1960s with the St. Rose folk group, where he learned guitar and built friendships that have lasted a lifetime. In the 1970s, he joined Bob Williams and Theresa Stoops as a founding member of the Northern California rock band Ocean Breeze, a well-known fixture in Sonoma County. Writing original songs for the band led Denis deeper into recording and production, first at Ocean Breeze’s 8-track studio and later at Banquet Sound Studio, one of the area’s few 24-track facilities, where he worked with bands, religious groups, and commercial projects.

In the 1990s, Denis co-founded Media Bridge with Rennie Mau, producing music, spoken word, and children’s educational audio, while also creating award-winning jingles through Sound Advantage with Barry Volk. His work in children’s media inspired him to return to college, eventually shifting from child development to psychology, research, and statistics. After earning his degrees, Denis built a career as a statistician, working with UCSF and later the California Medicaid Research Institute, where he continues to evaluate major state health programs.

Through it all, Denis built a full family life with his wife Susan and their children, which he considers the best part of his life. After years away from music, songwriting returned in the 2010s. Rejoined by Bob, Theresa, and longtime friend Elvin Duncan, Denis has recorded more than 40 original songs in his home studio. Their sound is eclectic, rooted in Americana and folk, and often drawn to darker, soulful themes—making Mostly Blue a fitting name for the collaboration.