John Doan
Encyclopedia
John Doan is one of the best-known harp guitar
ists in the world. In addition, he is a performer, Emmy-nominated composer
, historian, instrument collector, and university professor.
he was introduced to classical guitar. He really enjoyed the music for the lute and was amazed at the sound of its many strings. Later when he found a century old harp-guitar on the back wall of a music store, it called to him with its beautiful shape and unusual collection of extra strings. He relates: "I was achingly curious and wanted to transform its silence and neglect into something alive and vibrant. It was and continues to be an adventure to play music on the harp-guitar."
After moving to Oregon, Doan earned his master's in musical education from Western Oregon University
and served on the faculty there. He studied the renaissance and baroque lute in the Netherlands. Doan's music has a strong classical influence and he also finds inspiration in folk traditions, Irish musical traditions in particular. He is an associate professor of music at Willamette University
in Salem, Oregon
, a historian, and a multi-instrumentalist specializing in unusual vintage instruments. Over the years Doan has played with many folk and country artists, including Donovan
, Burl Ives
, Larry Carlton
, and Chet Atkins
.
, titled Departures (1988). He followed that up with Remembrance: Melodies from a Forgotten Era (1993) on the Tapestry
label which was inspired by his own musical traditions in folk tunes of the American West. In the 1990s two television specials were produced by Oregon Public Broadcasting
: A Christmas to Remember With John Doan (seen on PBS) and his Emmy nominated A Victorian Christmas With John Doan. The live version of his Victorian Christmas, in which he re-enacts what it might have been like to celebrate Christmas a century ago, has been a holiday tradition for over 20 years. His latest recording on Hearts of Space
, Eire - Isle of the Saints, won "Best Celtic Album of the Year." The Lost Music of Fernando Sor (2008) features the music of Fernando Sor
(1778–1839), beloved as the "Father of the Classical Guitar", who composed ten works for the harpolyre, a three-necked, 21 string guitar. Doan discovered and restored a playable instrument from c. 1830 which he used for this recording. Doan's latest video project is a 90 minute documentary that he wrote and starred in titled In Search of the Harp Guitar. John recently hosted an International Harp Guitar Festival at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon.
Harp guitar
]The harp guitar is a stringed instrument with a history of well over two centuries. While there are several unrelated historical stringed instruments that have appropriated the name “harp-guitar” over the centuries, the term today is understood as the accepted vernacular to refer to a particular...
ists in the world. In addition, he is a performer, Emmy-nominated composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, historian, instrument collector, and university professor.
Background
Doan grew up in Venice, California, and at the age of eleven began playing the guitar, first a 12-string, and later a double-neck electric in a rock band. Later, while studying music at California State University, NorthridgeCalifornia State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge is a public university in Northridge, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California, United States....
he was introduced to classical guitar. He really enjoyed the music for the lute and was amazed at the sound of its many strings. Later when he found a century old harp-guitar on the back wall of a music store, it called to him with its beautiful shape and unusual collection of extra strings. He relates: "I was achingly curious and wanted to transform its silence and neglect into something alive and vibrant. It was and continues to be an adventure to play music on the harp-guitar."
After moving to Oregon, Doan earned his master's in musical education from Western Oregon University
Western Oregon University
Western Oregon University is a public liberal arts college located in Monmouth, Oregon, United States. It was originally established in 1856 by Oregon pioneers as Monmouth University. Subsequent names include Oregon Normal School, Oregon College of Education, and Western Oregon State College...
and served on the faculty there. He studied the renaissance and baroque lute in the Netherlands. Doan's music has a strong classical influence and he also finds inspiration in folk traditions, Irish musical traditions in particular. He is an associate professor of music at Willamette University
Willamette University
Willamette University is an American private institution of higher learning located in Salem, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest university in the Western United States. Willamette is a member of the Annapolis Group of colleges, and is made up of an undergraduate College of Liberal Arts and...
in Salem, Oregon
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
, a historian, and a multi-instrumentalist specializing in unusual vintage instruments. Over the years Doan has played with many folk and country artists, including Donovan
Donovan
Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
, Burl Ives
Burl Ives
Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was an American actor, writer and folk music singer. As an actor, Ives's work included comedies, dramas, and voice work in theater, television, and motion pictures. Music critic John Rockwell said, "Ives's voice .....
, Larry Carlton
Larry Carlton
Larry Carlton is an American jazz, smooth jazz, jazz fusion, pop, and rock guitarist and singer. He has divided his recording time between solo recordings and session appearances with various well-known bands...
, and Chet Atkins
Chet Atkins
Chester Burton Atkins , known as Chet Atkins, was an American guitarist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country's appeal to adult pop music fans as well.Atkins's picking style, inspired by Merle...
.
Recordings
Doan created his own brand of folk-fusion on his first album on NaradaNarada Productions
Narada is a record label formed 1983 as an independent New Age music label and distributed by MCA Records. Now a fully owned subsidiary of EMI, Narada evolved through an expansion of formats to include music from other styles including world music, jazz, Celtic music, new flamenco, acoustic guitar...
, titled Departures (1988). He followed that up with Remembrance: Melodies from a Forgotten Era (1993) on the Tapestry
Capri Records
Capri Records was a short-lived but influential rock and roll record label established in Conroe, Texas by Huey P Meaux and Foy Lee in the early 1960s...
label which was inspired by his own musical traditions in folk tunes of the American West. In the 1990s two television specials were produced by Oregon Public Broadcasting
Oregon Public Broadcasting
Oregon Public Broadcasting is the primary television and radio public broadcasting network for most of Oregon as well as southern Washington. With its headquarters and television studios in Portland, OPB consists of five full-power television stations, dozens of VHF or UHF translators, and over...
: A Christmas to Remember With John Doan (seen on PBS) and his Emmy nominated A Victorian Christmas With John Doan. The live version of his Victorian Christmas, in which he re-enacts what it might have been like to celebrate Christmas a century ago, has been a holiday tradition for over 20 years. His latest recording on Hearts of Space
Hearts of Space Records
Hearts of Space Records is an independent record label owned by Valley Entertainment.From the label’s website, “Launched in 1984, this record label was created as an extension of the weekly syndicated radio show Hearts of Space...
, Eire - Isle of the Saints, won "Best Celtic Album of the Year." The Lost Music of Fernando Sor (2008) features the music of Fernando Sor
Fernando Sor
Josep Ferran Sorts i Muntades was a Spanish classical guitarist and composer. While he is best known for his guitar compositions, he also composed music for a wide range of genres, including opera, orchestra, string quartet, piano, voice and ballet...
(1778–1839), beloved as the "Father of the Classical Guitar", who composed ten works for the harpolyre, a three-necked, 21 string guitar. Doan discovered and restored a playable instrument from c. 1830 which he used for this recording. Doan's latest video project is a 90 minute documentary that he wrote and starred in titled In Search of the Harp Guitar. John recently hosted an International Harp Guitar Festival at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon.
Recognition
- "John's music is simply beautiful. No, it is more than that, it is heavenly!" – Burl IvesBurl IvesBurl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was an American actor, writer and folk music singer. As an actor, Ives's work included comedies, dramas, and voice work in theater, television, and motion pictures. Music critic John Rockwell said, "Ives's voice .....
- "I honestly believe we need more quality class-acts in our business of show, and John is exactly that. I love spending time with him, as both a friend and a member of an audience. He's wonderfully entertaining, and I believe in him. John is an undiscovered treasure and one of my best discoveries." Randy SparksRandy SparksRandy Sparks is a musician, singer-songwriter and founder of The New Christy Minstrels and The Back Porch Majority. Prior to that, in the late 1950s he had a solo career and released two albums under the Verve label, a self-titled album in 1958 and Walking the Low Road in 1959...
, Founder of The New Christy MinstrelsNew Christy MinstrelsThe New Christy Minstrels are an American folk music group founded by Randy Sparks in 1961. They recorded over 20 albums and had several hits, including "Green, Green", "Saturday Night", "Today", "Denver", and "This Land is Your Land"... - "I can't tell you where I have been these past several minutes except to say that I got lost in your beautiful music! Where do you get one of them things?" Doc WatsonDoc WatsonArthel Lane "Doc" Watson is an American guitar player, songwriter and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues and gospel music. He has won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Watson's flatpicking skills and knowledge of traditional American music are highly regarded...
- "John returns audiences to a time when we use to dream before movies did that for us." Mason WilliamsMason WilliamsMason Williams is an American guitarist and composer, best known for his guitar instrumental "Classical Gas". He is also a comedy writer, known for his writing on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, and Saturday Night Live...
- "John has restored my faith ... there is still new and exciting music for the guitar." George WinstonGeorge WinstonGeorge Winston is an American pianist who was born in Michigan, and grew up mainly in Miles City, Montana as well as Mississippi and Florida. He attended Stetson University in Deland, Florida and lives in Santa Cruz, California.-Background:...
- "I admire John's music and playing." Chet AtkinsChet AtkinsChester Burton Atkins , known as Chet Atkins, was an American guitarist and record producer who, along with Owen Bradley, created the smoother country music style known as the Nashville sound, which expanded country's appeal to adult pop music fans as well.Atkins's picking style, inspired by Merle...
- "John, it was great playing with you. You make lovely music." DonovanDonovanDonovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
- "I think your music is really beautiful and atmospheric." Sally OldfieldSally OldfieldSally Oldfield is a singer-songwriter, and the sister of the composers Mike Oldfield and Terry Oldfield.-Early life:...
CDs
- Harp Guitars Under The Stars (2010) (With Muriel AndersonMuriel AndersonMuriel Anderson is a composer and award-winning guitarist and harp-guitarist.-Biography:Muriel Anderson was born in Downers Grove, Illinois. Her grandfather was a saxophone player in John Phillip Sousa’s band, and her mother was a piano teacher. Her musical heritage showed early when an inspired...
) - A Celtic Pilgrimage (2010)
- The Lost Music of Fernando Sor (2008)
- Wayfarer: Ancient Paths to Sacred Places (2007)
- Eire: Isle of the Saints (A Celtic Odyssey) (1997)
- Harp Guitar and Other Forgotten Instruments (1994)
- Wrapped in White: Visions of Christmas Past (1994)
- Remembrance: Melodies from a Forgotten Era (1993)
- Departures (1988)
Compilations
- Brad Hoyt | Together Alone| Duets featuring Piano and Harp Guitar (2009)
- Harp Guitar Dreams (2008)
- Christmas Past: Holiday Harp Guitar Classics (2006)
- Beyond Six Strings (2006)
- Renaissance: A Midsummer Night's Dream
- Celtic Twilight I-V
DVDs
- Primal Twang - The Legacy of the Guitar (2010)
- In Search of the Harp Guitar (2006)
- A Celtic Pilgrimage with John Doan (2010)
- John Doan Live In Concert
- John Doan's two Christmas TV specials - Combo DVD
- A Victorian Christmas With John Doan
- A Christmas To Remember With John Doan
TV specials
- OPB A Christmas to Remember with John Doan seen on PBS.
- OPB A Victorian Christmas with John Doan seen on PBS.