HEARTLAND is a stylish AOR outfit formed by ex-VIRGINIA WOLF and MONROE frontman Chris Ousey and including former MONROE guitarist Gary Sharpe. HEARTLAND's debut album, a consumate slab of AOR released by A&M, was produced by Jimbo Barton. Unfortunately, by the time the album was released in March of 1991 the AOR / Melodic Rock star was on the wane. Despite a support tour of the UK to MR. BIG, HEARTLAND ultimately lost the A&M deal, a second album not appearing until 1995 through German label Long Island, which was ostensibly a collection of demo recordings. Between albums bassist Phil Brown had involved himself in production scoring credits with TRIXTER and QUEENSRYCHE, but by the time 'Wide Open' was released HEARTLAND had trimmed down to the duo of Sharp and Ousey.

The deal with Long Island for the 'Wide Open' album had been negotiated by long time fan Khalil Turk and, having established his own label, Escape Music, signed HEARTLAND up for a third album, 'Heartland III', issued in 1996. This album saw Sharpe departing and replaced by former EXPORT and IAN GILLAN guitarist Steve Morris with a fourth album, 'Till Heaven Falls', quickly emerging soon after the third.

With Morris spending time during 1997 working on IAN GILLAN's 'Dreamcatcher' album, Ousey found time for a side project act titled THE DISTANCE in which he forged an impressive liaison with POKERFACE guitarist Kenny 'Kaos' Loney, pulling in LOVERBOY guitarist PAUL DEAN as co-producer. An eponymous album surfaced in the latter half of the year through Escape.

HEARTLAND spent November of 1997 on tour in Germany as part of the 'Acoustic Nights' dates headlined by BRAZEN ABBOT and JEFF PARIS. The 1998 album 'Miracles By Design' enlisted the talents of PAUL DEAN once more as co-producer.

Erstwhile TYGERS OF PAN TANG, TEN, CONTAGIOUS and ARABIA keyboard player Ged Ryland joined HEARTLAND in 2000.

The 2001 release 'As It Comes' saw a HEARTLAND line up of Ousey, Morris, bass player Tim Hewitts, keyboard player Steve Millington and drummer Steve Gibson. Morris would guest on the 2001 RADIO SILENCE album 'Sirens'.

During early 2002 Steve Morris announced a union with erstwhile FM and WILDLIFE singer Steve Overland for a project entitled SHADOWMAN. Later recruits to this band project included THUNDER and MAGNUM drummer Harry James and THUNDER and GO WEST bass player Chris Childs. Both Ousey and Morris would donate their services to the June 2002 album, 'View From The Top', from Swedish AOR stable mates GRAND ILLUSION. The Morris / Ousey axis would also contribute heavily to the Escape Music 2002 BOSTON tribute album.

HEARTLAND completed new album recordings at Ocean Reach Studio in Warrington in late 2004 for an early 2005 release 'Move On' through Escape Music. Contributing guests included bassist Mathias Gregersen, the GRAND ILLUSION pairing of Peter Sundell and Per Svensson on backing vocals with the MERCYFUL FATE and FORCE OF EVIL credited Bjarne T. Holm on drums. Steve Morris also took time out to produce an album for fellow UK melodic Rockers CHANGE OF HEART.