Gordon Lightfoot, Micky Newbury, John Prine, Tony Rice, John Denver, James Taylor, Guy Clark, Pat Alger
Sounds Like
"Lightfoot meets Taylor w/ the smooth vocal delivery of Gene Watson, bravo!" (quote from LeAnna Mosely, MySpace member)
"a voice reminiscent of John Denver" - Bob Whitby, The Orlando Weekly
". . . an amazing songwriter!" Marilyn Duncan, Soona Songs, Dallas, TX
". . . it just doesn't get any better than Doug Spears. He is a poet!"
Greg Abate, Who’s Next?: A Music Review e-zine, Los Angeles, CA
" . . . definitely a complete artist--voice, guitar, writing, and stage presence all blend seamlessly and comfortably."
Rocco Colello, Colello Promotions, Tampa, Fl.
“Lightfoot meets Taylor w/ the smooth vocal delivery of Gene Watson, bravo!”
LeAnna Mosely, Music Moonk Music, Virginia
Winner of the American Songwriter Magazine Lyrics Contest July / August 2007 - "Break Some Stones"
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Drawing on elements of contemporary folk, Americana, bluegrass, country and folk rock, Doug Spears produces a sound that is fresh and new, yet immediately familiar causing one reviewer to call it “retro contemporary, yet neo-traditional.” Vivid, lyrical images set to memorable melodies, delivered with a unique guitar style and powered by rich vocals reminiscent of John Denver - that’s the pure acoustic music of Doug Spears. Writing and performing for more than 30 years, Doug is a favorite on the festival and listening room circuit throughout Florida and beyond touring wherever the music takes him. He is a regular on the stages of the Will McLean Music Festival, The Gamble Rogers Folk Festival, The Florida Folk Festival and other similar gatherings. In 1997 he garnered the Will McLean award for his song “Banks of the Old St. John’s.” He has performed alongside some of the highest regarded nationally touring folk artists, including Pierce Pettis, Ellis Paul, Andrew Calhoun, Michael Smith and Jack Williams.
A fourth generation Florida native, Doug was born in Leesburg, Florida and his best childhood memories tie back to the farm house his grandfather built just west of Leesburg in the 1920's. He took up the guitar at age 12, learning on an old Gibson J-45 loaned to him by a family friend, and soon began writing his own songs heavily influenced by the wealth of songwriter poets of the time. Over the next 30+ years Doug’s songcraft matured into the skillful painting of lyric portraits of interesting characters, places and events and dealing with the often joyous though sometimes difficult aspects of our lives.
In 2005 Doug released "Truths & Lies", a collection of 12 songs ranging from regional, historical pieces about Florida's past (including "Teppintine", "Steam Train" and the Will McLean award winning "Banks of the Old St. John's") to insightful, personal pieces like "This Old House", "Mournful Eyes" and "It Must Be You." Very well received, "Truths & Lies" earned excellent reviews and songs from it won awards from various contests and publications including Songwriter Universe, UniSong International, the Great American Songwriting Contest and Billboard Magazine's World Song Contest.
Doug Spears' new 2007 release, "Break Some Stones", is coming out of the blocks fast. Just before its release in July 2007 its title track, "Break Some Stones", won the coveted American Songwriter Magazine Lyric Contest and is published in the July / August issue of that leading publication. "Break Some Stones" is a "live in the studio" solo recording of Doug and his guitar which features a straight on rendition of 14 great original songs.
2008 is off to a strong start with a main stage appearance at the South Florida Folk Festival in January and a second straight year of showcasing at the Folk Alliance conference in Memphis, TN in February. On the horizon for 2008 in a new CD planned for release late in the year and a full schedule of festival, listening room and concert appearances both in Florida and out on the roads of the southeast US and beyond.
Winner Will McLean Award 1997
“Banks of the Old St. John’s”
Finalist South Florida Folk Festival
Songwriter Competition 1998, 2000
Unisong International 10th Annual Songwriting Contest 2005-06 – A Mother’s Tears top 20 finalist in AAA / Americana – Teppintine, Honorable Mention
Songwriter Universe Magazine – Top 5 songs of the month January 2006 – This Old House
"Doug Spears has the soul of a bard and enchants his audience with songs reminiscent of the true folk music greats . . ."
Tamara Dourney - Port St. Lucie, Fl.
"Doug is as much storyteller as he is songwriter and performer. He is an artist who paints gentle portraits with words and music. His songs are like picture postcards from the past discovered in long-forgotten trunk on a Sunday afternoon. He draws from history and the heritage of his native Florida which gives this CD a regional flavor that is rarely seen in commercial music.
Doug Spear’s Truths & Lies is not a collection of cheerful, empty songs. They a stories of complex people in often difficult circumstances. His approach is always subtle and artful. The musicianship and recording are uniformly well done. His voice is always clear and crisp. If you miss the folk and folk rock songs of 60’s and 70’s, Doug Spears’ songs will evoke a very pleasant feeling of nostalgia, and send you digging in your attic for your old record collection."
