Doug Macleod (Blues Musician)
Encyclopedia
Life and career
Doug MacLeod was born in New YorkNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1946. Although now associated with his home in Los Angeles, he has lived and worked in North Carolina, St Louis, and Norfolk, Virginia where he was stationed in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
.
He became acquainted with the blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
in St Louis in his teens and started his “career” playing country blues on acoustic guitar, finding that singing eased a chronic stutter and helped him to eventually overcome it. Although predominantly associated with acoustic guitar, his skills were developed as a blues bass player, and honed by his subsequent journeys into jazz and electric blues.
Influences
MacLeod’s formative Blues instruction is attributed to a man he knew as Ernest Banks who also gave him the guiding principles of his music and performances;“Never play a note you don’t believe”
“Never write or sing about what you don’t know about”
He also formed a strong friendship with George "Harmonica" Smith who not only became his mentor, but also the source or experience for many of his songs and stories in his live performances. Unable or unwilling to use his correct name, he always called him “Dubb” –a name also adopted by his loyal followers; the DubbHeads.
Writing
MacLeod plays only his own compositions (of which he is credited with over 300) , but his music has also been recorded by many other artists including; Dave AlvinDave Alvin
Dave Alvin , is a guitarist, singer and songwriter. He has been one of the leading proponents of 'roots' or 'American' music, bringing together elements of rock-and-roll, blues, rural and tejano music....
, James Armstrong
James Armstrong (musician)
James Armstrong is an American soul blues and electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He has released three albums to date on HighTone Records...
, Eva Cassidy
Eva Cassidy
Eva Marie Cassidy was an American vocalist known for her interpretations of jazz, blues, folk, gospel, country and pop classics. In 1992 she released her first album, The Other Side, a set of duets with go-go musician Chuck Brown, followed by a live solo album, Live at Blues Alley in 1996...
, Albert Collins
Albert Collins
Albert Collins was an American electric blues guitarist and singer whose recording career began in the 1960s in Houston and whose fame eventually took him to stages across the US, Europe, Japan and Australia...
, Pee Wee Crayton
Pee Wee Crayton
Connie Curtis Crayton , known as Pee Wee Crayton, was an American R&B and blues guitarist and singer.-Career:...
, Papa John Creach
Papa John Creach
Papa John Creach played for Jefferson Airplane , Hot Tuna, Jefferson Starship, Jefferson Starship - The Next Generation, the San Francisco All-Stars , The Dinosaurs , and Steve Taylor...
, Albert King
Albert King
Albert King was an American blues guitarist and singer, and a major influence in the world of blues guitar playing.-Career:...
, Chris Thomas King
Chris Thomas King
Chris Thomas King is an American New Orleans, Louisiana-based blues musician and actor.-History:King was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. He is the son of blues musician Tabby Thomas. He has won awards including "Album of the Year" for both Grammy Award and Country Music Awards. King...
, Coco Montoya
Coco Montoya
Coco Montoya is an American blues guitarist and former member of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers.-Musical career:...
, Billy Lee Riley
Billy Lee Riley
Billy Lee Riley was an American rockabilly musician, singer, record producer and songwriter. His most memorable recordings included "Rock With Me Baby," and "Red Hot".-Biography:...
, Son Seals
Son Seals
Frank "Son" Seals was an American electric blues guitarist and singer.-Career:He was born in Osceola, Arkansas where his father, Jim "Son" Seals, owned a small juke joint. He began performing professionally by the age of 13, first as a drummer with Robert Nighthawk, and later as a guitarist...
, Tabby Thomas
Tabby Thomas
Tabby Thomas also known as Rockin' Tabby Thomas is an American Chicago blues musician...
, and Joe Louis Walker
Joe Louis Walker
Joe Louis Walker, also known as JLW is an American musician, best known as a electric blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer. A feature of his work is his recourse to older material or playing styles, which revealed his knowledge of blues history.-Career:Joe Louis Walker was born in San...
.
He has also been a long-time contributor to Blues Revue magazine with his column “Doug’s Back Porch.”
Performance
MacLeod’s live performances preserve the tradition of the blues as a story-telling medium, expressed by his soulful voice and powerfully rhythmic acoustic guitar style. He usually plays a National Delphi guitar (accompanied by his left foot), with stories or introductions between pieces. The tales come from his early performances when he felt that he did not have enough music to fill a show. He has appeared in blues and jazz festivals and his own shows around the world, but particularly in the US and Europe.Other activities
As well as writing and performing, he also teaches guitar and has released his own instructional DVD, and has hosted Blues radio shows; Blues Highway and Nothin' But The Blues (1999 to 2004), and was the voice for The Blues Showcase of Continental Airlines.Recognition
He has been nominated many times for Blues Music Awards (Formerly W.C. Handy) with nominations in 2006 for “Best Song” (Dubb’s Talkin’ Politician Blues) and “Acoustic Artist of the Year”, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. His portrait is displayed in the Delta Blues MuseumDelta Blues Museum
The Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale exists to collect, preserve, and provide public access to and awareness of the blues. Along with holdings of significant blues-related memorabilia, the museum also exhibits and collects art portraying the blues tradition, including works by sculptor Floyd...
in Clarksdale, Mississippi
Clarksdale, Mississippi
Clarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
. He received the Golden Note award for Best Original Recording (for his album You Can't Take My Blues). His songs have featured in Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nominated albums; Albert King’s I'm in a Phone Booth, Baby (1984) ("Your Bread Ain't Done"), and Albert Collins
Albert Collins
Albert Collins was an American electric blues guitarist and singer whose recording career began in the 1960s in Houston and whose fame eventually took him to stages across the US, Europe, Japan and Australia...
' Cold Snap (1986) ("Cash Talking, The Working Man’s Blues").
Discography
- Brand New Eyes (Fresh! from RR) 2011
- The Utrecht Sessions (Black & Tan) 2008
- Where I Been (Black & Tan) 2006
- Dubb (Black & Tan) 2005
- A Little Sin (Black & Tan) 2002
- Live at XM Radio vol. 2 (Black & Tan) 2007
- Live at XM Satellite (Black & Tan) 2007
- Live in 1991 vol. 1 (Black & Tan) 1991
- Live in 1991 vol. 2 (Black & Tan) 1991
- 101 Blues Guitar Essentials (instructional DVDDVDA DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
) (Solid Air Record / Alfred Publishing) 2006 - Whose Truth, Whose Lies (Sledgehammer BluesSledgehammer BluesSledgehammer Blues is an independent record label owned by Valley Entertainment that was formerly named AudioQuest Music.From the label’s website, “The blues label was founded in the late 1980s with the mission to create the highest standard audiophile recordings based on the technology available...
(formerly AudioQuest Music)) 2000 - Live As It Gets (with John "Juke" LoganJohn "Juke" LoganJohn "Juke" Logan is an American electric blues harmonica player, singer, pianist and songwriter. He is best known for his harmonica playing on the theme music for television programs and films...
) (Mocombo Records) 1999 - Unmarked Road (Sledgehammer Blues (formerly AudioQuest Music)) 1997
- You Can't Take My Blues (Sledgehammer Blues (formerly AudioQuest Music)) 1996
- Come To Find (Sledgehammer Blues (formerly AudioQuest Music)) 1994
- Ain't The Blues Evil (Volt/Fantasy) 1991
- 54th and Vermont (Stomp) 1987
- Woman In The Street (Stomp) 1986
- No Road Back Home (Hightone) 1984
Film appearances
MacLeod appeared in Resonate: A Guitar Story along with Catfish Keith, Bob Brozman and John Dowling. Resonate is a story of contemporary National Reso-Phonic guitar players.External links
- Official Website: www.doug-macleod.com
- Myspace profile: www.myspace.com/dougmacleod
- Fan site: www.dubbheads.com