Biography

Doug grew up in the Davis Mountains of Texas, the son of a colorful wainwright, blacksmith, and fiddle-playing ranch hand. Doug briefly pursued a musical degree, which set the stage for his short stint as a fiddler and sideman for dinner theater entertainment. He left that to tour the country with various acts, eventually settling back in Texas to write his own songs and front his own band. Basing himself out of Austin, he has continued his tour for 9 years now, and has developed into a unique, western, swing band with his wit and charm playing along with his unconventional “fret-less” instrumentation of steel guitar, fiddle, bass fiddle, and drums.

As if not enough, Doug found another rewarding outlet for his creativity: chainsaw carving! He picked the saw up 11 years ago, and advanced rather quickly right from the beginning. He sold his first piece the moment he finished carving it! He is self-taught, with a sharp eye for detail and appreciation for the natural wood grain. Plus, he discovered a means to create income to spur his musical career. And like his music, Doug has customized his art to his own unique fashion.

Doug has received a Will Rogers Cowboy Award for Western Music Male Performer of the Year from the Academy of Western Artists. He also received an Entertainer of the Year award from the Texas Music Awards. Doug’s seventh and most recent album reflects the mysteries of life in the West Texas mountains. He is especially proud of it being a live recording done at his woodwork shop and art gallery. “We went back to the basics and made it real,” he says. Doug built his shop himself using mostly salvaged materials.